Like an Avalanche
by belasgrl
Summary: Nina Alvar gets caught in the crossfire of one of the Miser Brothers' fights. As she tries to repair her plane, Snow Miser tries to help her repair other things, as well. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

On the streets of Southtown, U. S.A., Nina Alvar walked, slowly and dejectedly. Ignoring the Christmas music playing over the radios all over town, she cast her eyes down while still paying attention to where she was going. She passed by the hustle and bustle of people finishing their holiday shopping, sighing heavily. She definitely wasn't in the mood for celebrating.

A walk that would normally take a short amount of time instead took half an hour at the speed she was walking at that moment. Nevertheless, the young woman arrived before dark at her home, which was just a small house in the corner of town. The house didn't look anything out of the ordinary, and it was sparsely furnished, as if she wasn't there often. She entered and went to her room and sat on her bed. The entire house was quite cold, and she shivered. Leaning forward, her toffee-colored shoulder-length hair draped over her face.

Nina looked slightly to her right. There was a photograph on her nightstand of herself and a man at a beach. Tears welled up in her deep brown eyes, but she quickly wiped them. Grabbing the picture frame, she took the photo out, tore it up, and threw it away. Quickly, she then packed a small bag full of necessities and left the house.

In her backyard was a rather large shed. She walked to it and opened the door. Inside was an emerald green airplane. She put her bag in, got in the cockpit, and took off. Soon, she was in the sky, and Southtown began looking smaller and smaller.

Later that day, Snow Miser and Heat Miser were up to their usual antics, throwing ice and fireballs at each other. They didn't notice a green plane fly toward them, and it was caught in their crossfire before they could stop the barrage of their weapons. When the plane was hit, the woman tried to regain control of it. Rapidly figuring out she was unable to do so, she jumped out, releasing a parachute as the aircraft fell toward the ground. She landed in front of Snow Miser's home, a castle made of ice, falling like a ton of bricks. Nina quickly lost consciousness as the parachute draped over her body.


	2. Chapter 2

Nina woke up, slowly. She blinked, thinking her eyes were deceiving her. All she saw around her was ice and more ice. She was on a bed of ice. There was a chair made of ice. There was a window with curtains made of what looked like snow. She sat up, alarmed. "Where am I?"

At that moment, Snow Miser came in the room. "Oh, good. You're awake."

Nina stared at Snow, obviously having never seen anyone like him before. "Who are you?"

Snow Miser sang "Mr. White Christmas" to introduce himself. Nina watched in a combination of amazement and bewilderment. After the song was over, she clapped, genuinely entertained, but still confused. "So, you control snow?"

"Basically, yeah."

"Alrighty, but what am I doing here? The last thing I remember is jumping out of the plane."

"The plane you were in must have gotten caught in my brother's and my little...spat."

"What?"

"My brother, Heat Miser, controls warm weather. He is the bane of my existence. We fight, constantly. The plane must have gotten caught in the middle of it."

The woman frowned. "Great."

"You're lucky you landed on my doorstep."

"Lucky? Yeah. Sure." She looked down.

"You're not going to thank me for saving your life?"

"You put it in danger in the first place!" Nina shouted.

Snow Miser was quiet for a while. When he spoke, his voice was soft and gentle. "I am truly sorry. Is there a way I can make it up to you?"

She sighed. "No. It was an accident. I would like to find my plane, though."

"Your plane? You mean you flew it yourself?"

"Yeah, I'm a pilot."

His eyes sparkled. "How exciting! Have you been all over the world?"

"Yes. I've been to many different countries."

"I'll tell you what: I'll help you find your plane, and we can put all this behind us." He held out his hand.

"It's the least you can do," she said, "but it's not enough. I don't want anyone else getting hurt because you and your brother can't get along."

"HALF-brother, and I can't guarantee that we won't stop fighting. It's in our natures."

"At least make sure no one else gets hurt because of your guys' actions."

Snow Miser nodded. She shook his hand, shivering, slightly.

"Since my brother helped cause this mess, I'm going to make him help us look for your plane," Snow Miser told Nina. "Though, he won't agree to do it, easily."

"I'll convince him," Nina said, following him outside.

At this, Snow Miser chuckled. "You're pretty confident, aren't you?"

"Yep. I want my plane back. Planes don't leave you, unlike people."

"What do you mean by that?"

"My ex-boyfriend left me today."

"Ouch. That's cold."

"I don't need him. I don't need love. I just need my plane." Once they were outside the castle, she asked, "So, do you make a phone call, or?..."

"HEY, HOTHEAD, GET YOUR CABOOSE OUT HERE!" Snow Miser shouted.

Across from them, Heat Miser stomped out of his castle. "WHAT DO YOU WANT, ICEBRAIN?"

Snow Miser explained Nina's problem. Heat Miser huffed. "You're the one who shot the plane down! It's your responsibility!"

Before Snow Miser could say a word, Nina yelled at the top of her lungs, "LOOK, I JUST WANT MY PLANE! YOU'RE BOTH RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, SO HELP ME FIND IT, OR I'LL COME OUT HERE EVERY DAY AND SCREAM AT YOU EVERY WAKING MOMENT! YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH ME EACH DAY!"

Both Heat and Snow Miser seemed surprised at her tone and words. Snow Miser smiled a bit, while Heat Miser gaped. He sighed. "Fine." He grumbled and summoned his minions. Together, the Miser brothers, their miniature servants, and Nina began looking for the plane.

"It must have crashed right below our homes, so all we have to do is go straight down," Snow Miser said.

"And how do you propose we do that, blizzardbreath?" Heat asked. "It's not like we're Santa's reindeer."

"Well, we could ask Santa for help."

Heat grumbled. "I don't want to ask for his help unless I have to."

"Wait. Santa is real?" Nina asked.

"Yeah?" the brothers replied, simultaneously, as if it were a silly question.

"Oh. No wonder I haven't gotten any presents for the past decade or so. I stopped believing in him when I was 10."

Heat shrugged. Snow Miser said, "If Santa lets us use his reindeer, we can fly down and look for your plane."

"You call him," Heat said, crossing his arms.

"Why me?"

"Because it was YOUR idea."

"I don't have time for this!" Nina growled. "Where's a damn phone? I'll call him, myself!"

Snow raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Cool your jets, madam. I'll let you use my phone. If you're not careful, you'll blow a fuse like my hotheaded brother."

Heat shook his fists. "I heard that, you snowcone!"

Laughing, Snow Miser led Nina back inside, ignoring Heat's rants and raves.


	3. Chapter 3

Inside, Snow Miser had his minions bring Nina a phone. As soon as she touched it, she shivered. "Allow me," said Snow, and he dialed a number.

"This phone is so 1970's," commented Nina.

"So is your hairdo, but I'm not complaining," Snow remarked. "It's ringing." He handed her the phone.

Nina waited, then she heard a female voice ask, "Hello?"

"Hello, who is this?"

"This is Mrs. Claus."

"Hello, Mrs. Claus. This is Nina Alvar. May I speak to Mr. Claus?"

"Of course. One moment."

A minute later, a male voice was heard over the phone. "Hello?"

Nina didn't speak for a moment. She wasn't sure if she was really speaking to Santa Claus. Slowly, she asked, "Is this Sa- I mean, Mr. Claus?" She tried sounding as polite and formal as possible.

"Yes, this is he."

Nina took a deep breath. "This is Nina Alvar. You probably don't know me, but I need your help. My plane got shot down, and I need to go down to the ground to find it. May I use one of your reindeer? I can pay you."

"No need to pay me. I'll be right there."

"I don't want you to go through any trouble."

"It's no trouble at all. I'll be there in a few minutes. Goodbye, now."

"Goodbye, sir." She hung up. Then, her face turned pale. "Wait. How will he know where I'm at?"

Snow Miser pointed to a screen behind her. "He could see you."

"Oh. That's very convenient."

"Yes. We can wait inside until he gets here."

"It'd be better to wait outside so he doesn't have to come to the door. Besides, it's the same temperature outside as it is inside."

"Suit yourself. I've got to make sure hothead is ready to go, anyway."

The two went outside and waited for Santa. Snow Miser called for his brother, who came outside his castle. "Yes, yes, I'm here. I hope he gets here soon so we can get this over with."

Sure enough, a sleigh pulled up a few minutes later. A jolly old man in a red suit and hat sat in the sleigh, which was pulled by reindeer. Nina could hardly believe her eyes. "It can't be..." she thought to herself.

The man in the sleigh, who was obviously Santa Claus, smiled at Nina. "Hello, there. So, you're having some trouble?"

"Y-yeah," Nina said, trying to steady herself. She pointed straight down. "My plane is right below. If I can just get down to it, I can take care of the rest."

"Alright. Hop in," Santa told her, cheerfully, patting the spot next to him.

Nina approached the sleigh, hesitantly. This was all so unreal, like some dream. As she stepped in, she began to fall forward. She prepared for it, but was surprised when she was suspended in the air. When she looked behind her, she saw Snow Miser holding onto her. "You should be more careful. You almost took a tumble into Mr. C."

Nina apologized to Santa, who chuckled. "It's quite alright," he said.

Nina sat by Santa, while Snow Miser stood by the sleigh. "Get in. You guys need to help me," Nina stated.

"Alright. Alright. Hold your horses." He sat in the back. Then, Santa drove the sleigh to the other side to Heat Miser. Heat grumbled and got in the back and sat by his half-brother. The two immediately began bickering. Nina tried suppressing her annoyance by ignoring them. She slowly turned her head and looked at Santa. Not wanting to make her astonishment obvious, she was going to start a conversation, but he spoke to her first.

"Nina Alvar. I remember you."

"What?" Nina was taken aback.

"Yes, of course. When you were 5, you wanted a pilot doll."

"I remember that. I still have her. She's sitting on one of my shelves."

Santa beamed. "It's always heartwarming when children grow up and achieve their dreams."

"Yes. That I did, I suppose." Her voice grew quiet.

"What's the matter?" the jolly old man seemed concerned.

"Nothing, sir. I'm just...worried about my plane."

"I see. Well, when we get there, we can help you fix it."

Nina shook her head. "I'll fix it, myself. I just wanted these two to come along so they could acknowledge the damage they did."

The brothers heard that and both shouted, "What?! You don't even want us to do anything?!"

"Well, except help look. I can fix the plane by myself, I hope."

They grumbled but didn't do much else.

When they got closer to the ground, the four began looking for the crashed plane. Nina described it in great detail. Snow said, "So, it's a green airplane that doesn't fly at the moment."

"Yeah, basically," replied Nina, rolling her eyes.

The search went on for half an hour before Nina pointed. "There!"

Santa lowered the sleigh. A green plane was on the ground in the middle of an icy field. Santa landed near the plane. Nina almost ran to it, but Santa warned her about the ice. Nina asked Heat to melt the ice so she could get to the plane. He sighed and did so, seeming a little smug because he was destroying something that was important to his half-brother.

Snow Miser got angry and said, "Enjoy your little victory while you can. As soon as she's done, that patch of ground is going to be iced up all over again."

Heat frowned. "Yeah, yeah, well, you just stay out of my territory!"

"You're in my territory right now! You're lucky that I'm not making you into an icicle!"

"Just try it, snowcone!"

"WILL YOU GUYS SHUT UP?! I CAN'T CONCENTRATE!" Nina yelled, looking in her plane for tools. She was able to find some, and she walked up to Santa. "Thank you so much. I'll be fine, now." She held out some money.

"Keep it. I'm just glad I could help," said Santa. "And, I won't leave you here. It's freezing."

"As soon as I fix my plane, I'll be able to leave. I have supplies, so I promise I'll be okay. Please. You've done enough."

Santa gently laid a hand on Nina's shoulder. "It's no trouble. We'll stay as long as we need to."

Nina looked surprised, but nodded. She immediately began repairing the plane.

Hours passed, and Nina said to the Miser brothers, "Well, congratulations. Your little spat ruined the last thing that meant anything to me. I hope you're happy." She threw down a wrench and walked away.

Snow Miser ran to her. "Can't you fix it?"

"I could, but it would take a long time, and I don't have weeks to fix it." She kicked some snow.

"Well, there's nothing we can do. Let's get out of here," said Heat Miser, getting in Santa's sleigh.

"Perhaps we can haul the plane to your home, Nina," said Santa.

"That would be too long of a trip," Nina said, shaking her head. "I can't just leave my plane here. I need it." She was running out of options.

All of a sudden, Snow Miser said, "You can stay at my place and repair the plane there if we can get it up there."

"It's really heavy."

"I wouldn't mind taking you down there until you're done fixing it," said Santa.

"That's very kind of you both," Nina said, touched by their generosity, though she really wasn't expecting much from either of the Miser Brothers. "I would greatly appreciate that. I promise to get out of your hair as quickly as I can."

"It won't be any trouble," said Santa.

"Aren't you really busy? It's almost Christmas," Nina brought up.

"Who cares?" Heat Miser asked, huffing.

Nina frowned. "Lots of people do. I'm just trying to be considerate."

"Why? People rarely give what they receive. It's not worth going out of your way to be nice."

"Being nice isn't about what you get in return; it's about doing what's right. You do have a point, though: people are selfish." She leaned against her aircraft, facing away from everyone.

Santa came up to her. "There is good in everyone, though."

Nina turned her head. Her eyes were filled with pain, though she tried to mask it. "I beg to differ. Humans are evil, deep down, but I don't wish to get into philosophy. I just want to fix my plane and go home."

Santa nodded, sadly, then said, "Well, Snow Miser has offered you a place to stay. Will you be able to handle the cold?"

"Why wouldn't she be able to handle it?" Snow asked.

"She's human. Humans can't handle extreme temperatures for long."

"Oh. That puts some things on ice."

"I'll be fine. I've got my coat and gloves," said the woman. "I'm not fragile."

"Alright, well, there's plenty of room in my place," stated Snow Miser. "It's been a while since I've had a guest."

"I'm honored," Nina said with a deadpan expression. She took a bag with her and got in the sleigh, then the rest of them got in there. Santa drove up and dropped everyone off, then rode away.


	4. Chapter 4

Snow Miser followed Nina to the room where she had first woken up in in the castle. She set her bag on the floor and sat on the bed, holding her head in her hands. Snow watched her, a pang of guilt striking him. Standing in the doorway, he said, quietly, "Hey, uh..." Words failed him, and he stopped there.

Nina looked up at him. "What?" Her voice was as icy as the palace.

"Do you need anything?" Snow asked, awkwardly.

"Yeah, my plane. I was planning on traveling the world and getting away from all my problems. Instead, I'm stuck here until I get it fixed."

"I'm so sorry. I'll do everything I can to help."

Nina sighed. "Just...thank you for letting me stay here." Being irritated with him wouldn't solve anything, so she decided to show gratitude, instead, at least for the moment.

"It's no problem. You're down on your luck, so if I can help turn it around, I will."

"You seem awfully eager to help me," the young woman stated, suspiciously. "What do you expect to gain from all this?"

Snow Miser raised an eyebrow. "We made a deal, and I'm a man of my word. Besides, I can't stand to watch a woman suffer."

Nina stood up and walked to Snow, trying not to be intimidated by his height. "That's noble of you, but I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone." She briskly walked past him.

Snow said, "That's not true. Everyone needs someone in at least one way. That's how the world works."

Nina just shrugged and kept walking. Snow Miser followed her. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Out. I need to clear my head."

Nina went outside and walked around, thinking about her situation. She was trapped in a cold place, and the one thing she valued most in the world needed to be repaired. Trying to look at the bright side of things, Nina thought, "At least I'll have a distraction for a while."

At that moment, a sharp pain shot through her side. Gasping, she fell to the ground, unable to move for a few minutes. When the pain subsided, she rose, slowly, bewildered. This was the first time she had ever felt this sort of pain. It might have been caused by the crash. Nina decided to wait until after she fixed the plane to get it looked into; she needed to first focus on getting away as soon as possible.

By this time, it was evening. Nina was exhausted and went back inside. Snow Miser greeted her. "You look tired."

"Yeah. Near-death experiences will do that to you."

An odd look crossed his face, but he didn't acknowledge her comment. Instead, he wished her good night. Nina went to the guest room and laid on the bed made of ice. It was uncomfortable and cold. Growing up in Southtown, she had only experienced really cold weather once there, when it had snowed on Christmas a few years before. However, since she had traveled quite a bit, she knew how to handle the cold. She slept with her coat and gloves on, though not well.


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning, Nina woke up, feeling miserable. She left the room and saw Snow Miser sitting on his chair. "Good morning, madam. How did you-Whoa! Uh, never mind."

"I'm assuming the fact I look like crap is an indicator of how I slept?" Nina asked, barely looking at him.

"Let's say, you could use a few more hours of beauty sleep."

"If you hadn't opened your home up to me, I'd call you a prick right now," Nina glared, reaching for the phone.

"Fair enough. Who are you calling?"

"Santa. I need to get down to my plane. I might just stay down there."

Snow Miser looked concerned. "You sure? There's no place for you to sleep."

"I've slept in there before."

Snow went to her and dialed Santa's number, reluctantly. "I really don't mind you staying here."

Before Nina could reply, Santa answered the phone. Nina asked to be dropped off at her plane. After Santa agreed, she thanked him and hung up.

"Do you need me to come with you?" Snow asked.

"No, thanks. I'll manage." With that, she walked out of the castle. Santa pulled up a few minutes later. Nina got in the sleigh and was quiet until she said, "I'm just going to stay with the plane, so you don't have to keep bringing me to it."

"It's no trouble. Are you uncomfortable staying with Snow Miser? You could stay with my wife and I if you'd like. It's much warmer there."

Nina didn't answer for a long time. "Thank you, but no. I just really want to get my plane fixed."

"I understand." A bit later, he said, "The Miser Brothers don't really mean any harm. I do wish they'd stop fighting. They've been warned that someone was going to get hurt because of it. I'm sorry it was you."

Nina turned her head away, trying to hide her wincing from him. "I don't care as long as I can get out of here soon. At least the one guy is trying to make up for it."

"Snow Miser? He's the more agreeable of the two. He's quite a kidder, that one."

"I've noticed." She suddenly felt guilty for being so harsh to him, but it was partially his fault that she was in this situation.

Finally, they landed next to the plane. Nina thanked him and said, "I'll stay here. Thank you for all your help."

"You're welcome. Say, we're having a Christmas party tomorrow. Would you like to go?"

Nina paused, thinking about refusing. However, she instead replied, "Sure."

"Great!" Santa laughed, merrily. "It will be good to see you there! Now, are you sure you don't need anything else?"

Nina shook her head. "I'm okay. Thanks."

Santa nodded and left.

Nina worked on her plane all through the morning and afternoon. She stopped for a little bit just as it began to get dark. The air was getting colder, and she shivered. She got in the plane to try to get warmed up.

Nina thought she dozed off because the next thing she knew, she was awoken by a tapping on the glass. She opened her eyes and saw two very short men standing outside. Nina got out of the plane and asked, "Yes?"

"Hello. I'm Jingle, and this is Jangle. Santa sent us with some supplies for you."

Before Nina could protest, the elves handed her some blankets, hot cocoa, and soup. The young woman thanked them and took the covers and food. She attempted to give them money, but they refused to take any. Nina ate, finally beginning to warm up. With her newfound strength, she continued repairing the plane.

"Would you like some help, miss?" Jangle asked.

"No, thank you. Tell Mr. and Mrs. Claus I said thanks and that I appreciate what they did."

"Will do." With that, they left.

Once Nina was exhausted, she got back in the plane, wrapping the blankets around her. She fell asleep.

Later that morning, just before the sun rose, Nina was awoken by the clanging of metal. She looked outside and saw small shadows of several figures. She opened the hatch and got out, looking around, but she saw nothing. Still tired, she went back to sleep in the plane.

Once she woke up, Nina worked on the plane, checking the time here and there. When she saw that it was nearly time to get ready for the party, she paused. She had told Santa that she would be there, but how would she even get there? She didn't even know where it was. Even if she did...

Nina felt her stomach twist in knots. The last time she had gone to a Christmas party was when she was a child. She stopped for a bit, trying to calm herself. There was still time. She could refuse to go, saying she was too busy.

At that moment, she heard a voice behind her. "Hey, there."

Nina dropped her wrench, startled, and turned around. Standing behind her was Snow Miser. "What the- Where did you come from?"

"Didn't you ever learn about that?"

Nina paused, then sighed, rolling her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"I was just joking."

"I know. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to ask if you're going to Santa's party."

The young woman turned toward the plane. "I don't know," she mumbled.

"You should go. It's going to be a blizzard." He laughed.

Nina found herself smiling, which she didn't do often. Snow Miser's laugh was light, yet hearty, and it pulsed through her bones, somehow momentarily warming her up. She shook her head as if to shake it off. "I'm still thinking about it. Besides, I have nothing to wear."

"You look fine as you are. You should really go," he insisted. "You could use some joy in your life."

"You assume a party would bring me joy."

Snow Miser looked at her, strangely. "That's the idea. Parties are supposed to be fun. Don't you ever have any fun?"

The question, while fairly ordinary, struck Nina like an arrow. "No," she replied, her voice almost choked up. It was then that she had to confront a very real aspect of herself and of her own life: she never let herself have any fun.

Snow Miser gently laid a hand on her shoulder. While the gesture surprised her, she didn't dare show her face to him at that moment. "Maybe it's time you start. All work and no play wears a person out," he told her.

Nina nodded, quickly wiping her eyes. "Alright, then. I'll go. What about you?"

"Are you kidding? I love parties! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Snow Miser responded, cheerfully. "Hey, maybe you and I could go together." When she looked at him, skeptically, he added, "Not as a date. I meant just arriving together. You can't really walk to Santa's house from here, and you don't have wings."

"None that work." Nina sighed. "Let's get this over with."

"That's the spirit!" Snow held out his hand. Nina just stared at him, hesitantly. "We'll be there in a flash," he said.

Nina took a deep breath and held his hand. That moment, they disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

Nina found herself in front of a large house, standing beside Snow Miser. She would have lost her footing had it not been for her grabbing onto his arm. "Easy there, sweetcheeks. Get your bearings."

"How did you do that?" Nina asked, trying to compose herself.

"Oh, I'm a bit of a magician," was his answer.

The woman took a deep breath, looking at the house. "I assume this is it?"

Snow nodded. "That, it is. After you." He motioned toward the door, but Nina just stood in the same spot. "What's the matter? No one in there will bite you."

"Nothing. It's just-" She shook her head. "Let's go."

As Nina walked toward the door, Snow Miser gently grabbed her hand. "Come on. Something's wrong. Why don't you tell me?"

Nina paused, staring at him. "We're going to be late."

"We have time." He didn't let go of her hand.

Nina sighed. "Christmas is a difficult time for me," she admitted. "I feel stupid saying that. I mean, look where we are!"

"The North Pole. So what? Not everyone is jolly at Christmas."

"We're literally at Santa's house. I can't go in there looking like I'm welcoming death. I need to be happy. I need to be cheerful."

"What you need to be is yourself. Go in as you are. Who cares what people think of you? As long as you have a good time, that's what matters."

"What if I don't have a good time?"

"Then, we'll leave. There's no pressure. However, you might be surprised and have some fun. Who knows?" He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Ready?"

She nodded. "Yes, and thank you."

Snow Miser winked. "Sure thing."

The two went into the house together. Inside, there were dozens of elves talking and laughing and drinking cider and eggnog. Nina became aware that everyone was looking at them and didn't greet anyone until she was greeted, first. Snow Miser, on the other hand, greeted as many people as he could, striking up conversations with ease. Nina slinked away from him and went to get a cup of cider, feeling out-of-place.

At that moment, Mrs. Claus entered the room with a few elves, who carried plates filled with cookies. They set them on the snack tables, which were near the drinks. Mrs. Claus smiled at Nina. "Nina, we're so glad you could come to the party!"

"Thank you for inviting me," Nina told her, formally.

"Santa will be here any minute. He's just finishing getting dressed."

Nina nodded. A few minutes later, she heard a jolly laugh from across the room. Looking up, she and everyone else saw Santa Claus. "Merry Christmas!" he shouted, cheerfully.

The room rang out with a chorus of, "Merry Christmas!"

"Let the festivities begin!"

A band began playing music, and the floor flooded with people dancing. Nina stayed out of the way, watching them all. Snow Miser walked to her. "May I have this dance?" He bowed to her.

"I can't dance," she replied, quietly.

"I can teach you a few moves. It'll be fun." He held out his hand.

Hesitantly, she took it, and he swept her toward the crowd. "Okay, we'll do an easy one," he said. Snow Miser had to bend down a bit but was able to dance with Nina flawlessly. Nina nervously followed his instructions. "Relax. It's not a test. Loosen up and have fun. That's what this night is all about."

Nina did her best and soon got the hang of it. "There, you go!" Snow Miser said, laughing, heartily.

Nina smiled a little, beginning to enjoy herself.

After a few more songs, one of the elves announced that there would be a talent show. Anyone who wanted a chance to perform and entertain could do so. As a couple of elves did a juggling act, Snow Miser whispered to Nina, "Hey, you should go up there."

"And do what?"

"Whatever you're good at. You'll be the highlight of the evening. What have you got to lose?"

Nina stifled a laugh. "My dignity."

"I'm sure you're not that bad."

Nina sighed. "Fine." She spotted a guitar. "Alright, I've got something."

After the juggling act was over, Nina walked to the spot where performances were being held. She sat on a stool and picked up the guitar. "Hi," she said, awkwardly, looking around the room. "I'm Nina Alvar, and I'm going to perform a song from my childhood. It's a Christmas song, so I guess it's pretty fitting for the occasion, though I don't really remember where I heard it from. Anyway, here goes." She tuned the guitar and played and sang a soft, sweet song.

"Put your love in a poem,

Roses are red.

Put your love in a letter,

Words never said.

Whisper love when

you're feeling shy.

Sing of love, and

the world will cry

Save your love for a present,

Give it away,

The perfect gift

for Christmas Day."

The room filled with applause. Everyone clapped except for Snow Miser, who stared at Nina, dazed. He only snapped out of it when he heard Jingle ask, "She's great, isn't she?"

Snow didn't break his gaze, and he replied, softly, "Yeah, she sure is."

Nina smiled, politely at the crowd, then left the area and managed to go outside, unnoticed. She stood in the snow and the cold, catching her breath. The air lowered her temperature, which had risen from all the activity, and she stared out at the vast darkness, preparing herself to go back inside.

At that moment, the front door opened. Nina looked at it and saw Santa step out. "A bit crowded in there, isn't it?" he asked, cheerfully.

She nodded. "Yes, sir. I just came outside to get a breather."

"That's alright. How are you enjoying the party?"

"It's wonderful, sir, though I'm afraid I haven't been to many to compare it to."

"That's a shame. Well, you're welcome to come to all our Christmas parties. We have one every year."

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

They stood looking at the sky for a few moments, then Santa asked, "Are you alright? You seemed a bit nervous in there."

"Yeah, I'm just new to the Christmas thing."

"New to it? When you were a little girl, you loved it."

"I think most children who celebrate it do. That's the only good thing about being a child, I suppose."

"What's that?"

"The wonder they have for the world, the excitement of discovering things. As you get older, you see everything for what it really is."

Santa looked at her, oddly. "Do we? I think there's still wonder and excitement in the world; we just have to look for it. I suppose it is easier for children, but it's not impossible for adults."

Nina nodded, shivering a bit. "I'm going back inside to warm up."

"That's a good idea. I'd like some eggnog and cookies." He chuckled and opened the door for Nina. They reentered the house.

Snow Miser was by the snack table, munching on a cookie, which Nina found odd since she had never seen him eat before, but she didn't say anything. He struck up a conversation with Santa. "Hey, Mr. C.! How are you doing? We've barely gotten a chance to talk tonight."

"Hello, Snow Miser. It's been a busy night, hasn't it?"

The two made small talk while Nina picked up a cookie in the shape of a snowflake. She looked at her cookie, then at others just like it. "A lot of snowflakes make an avalanche," she murmured.

Snow Miser looked at her, not hearing her. "We're both having a good time, aren't we?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, looking at them.

"I was telling Mr. C. that I'm glad we both came to the party."

"Oh, yeah. It is very nice."

"There's going to be some games soon, so don't run off just yet," said Santa.

"I love games!" Snow Miser exclaimed, joyfully. "This is going to be great! We can be on the same teams!"

Nina giggled, in spite of herself. Snow Miser's excitement was contagious. He was obviously in his element, and seeing him have such a good time influenced her to have one, as well.

Everyone began playing games. First was charades, which the hosts of the celebration were very good at. Then, teams were asked to guess a Christmas song based on the first few notes that were played. Afterwards, there was a gift exchange. All of the presents were chosen completely at random. Nina received a small, blue ornament in the shape of a snowflake. Somehow, there were enough gifts for all the guests.

As the party died down, the guests began saying their goodbyes. Snow Miser asked Nina, "Shall we go?"

Nina nodded, a bit wearily. They walked up to Mr. and Mrs. Claus, shook both their hands, and said, "That was wonderful. I had a great time."

"We're glad you came. Stop by anytime."

"Perhaps after Christmas; anytime before that would be an inconvenience."

"Not at all. You're always welcome here."

Snow Miser chatted with them for a bit, then he and Nina left the party.


	7. Chapter 7

Snow Miser teleported them back to his castle. Nina protested, saying, "I should go back to my plane and sleep."

"What's the rush? The night is still young."

Nina looked at her watch while Snow Miser sat on his throne. "It's 11:00."

"See? There's plenty of time. Let's sit around and talk for awhile. Then, I'll take you to your plane. Deal?"

"Alright," Nina said, and sat on the floor nearby. Snow Miser shook his head and exclaimed, "Where are my manners?" He held out his hands, and ice shot out of them. A chair made of ice appeared by his throne, and Nina sat on the chair.

"You didn't have to do that," she stated.

"Nonsense! What kind of host would I be if I made you sit on the floor?"

The young woman frowned. "I appreciate you letting me stay, but I'm not here on a vacation."

"I know. I know. Anyway, that was some shindig, huh?"

"Yeah. It was great." Nina seemed less than enthused.

"What's wrong? You looked like you had a good time."

"I did. It's just...I don't want to get into this. You don't want to listen to sob stories."

"Maybe I do. I don't have a lot of friends to talk to."

"What are you talking about? You socialized with everyone at the party."

"Yeah, but I mean that I don't have any actual friends, you know, the kind you can share things with. It seems like you could use one, as well."

"Why do you say that?"

"You seem so...sad. I thought maybe I could help cheer you up."

Nina looked away. "That's very kind of you, but there isn't much you can do."

"Talking about it might help. I'm all ears. Well, actually, mostly ice, but you get the idea."

Nina cracked a smile and tried to stay warm. "I guess I have nothing to lose, and you have been gracious to me." Her smile faded, and she looked at the floor. "I...just really don't have a lot to be happy about. My ex-boyfriend just left me, and my family hasn't ever been the greatest. All I have is my plane." She shook her head. "But enough about me."

"I don't mind listening," Snow Miser said in a surprisingly soft voice. Startled, she looked at him. He was now laying across his throne, head near her. "I'm good at keeping secrets, if that's what you're worried about."

"No. I just don't want to depress you."

He snorted with laughter. "Depress me? It would take a lot to do that. Come on. Let's get to know each other better. That's what friends do, don't they?"

"I guess. I've never had many," Nina stated. "I was by myself a lot. I dreamed of being a pilot so I could see the world and a bunch of people. I wanted to feel like I was a part of the world, that I belonged somewhere," she said, beginning to relax.

"And did you get your wish?"

"Somewhat. I've seen more than a lot of people ever get to see, but I'm still out-of-place no matter where I go."

"Well, maybe you just haven't found your place in the world yet."

She stared at him. "You're pretty wise for a...what are you, exactly?"

"A cool, bisexual disaster," he replied, casually.

She smirked. "I see, but I mean, you're obviously not human. You control snow and ice, so are you a god or something?"

Nina had never heard anyone laugh as loud or as long or as heartily as Snow Miser did at that moment. His laughter shook everything in the room. He wiped his eye as he settled down. "That's a good one. A god!" He continued to laugh.

"I'm serious. It's a reasonable question, well, under the circumstances."

He finally stopped laughing. "To answer your question, no, I would not consider myself a god. I mean, if I did that, I'd have to think of my half-brother as a god, too, and euggggh." He made a disgusted face.

"So, what's happened between you two? Why do you hate each other so much?" Nina asked, trying to get more comfortable in the chair. Eventually, she just laid across it.

"Oh, that's a long story," he said with a long, exaggerated sigh.

"What's the rush? The night is still young." She playfully repeated his words from earlier.

"Okay, okay. Fine," he said, chuckling. "It's actually not that long of a story. We've hated each other since we were kids."

"That's it?" Nina asked after a pause.

"Yep."

"There's no deep, dark family secret? He didn't steal a lover from you or kill someone you held dear?"

"Nope. We're just too different from each other. Besides, he's jealous of me. I AM Mother's favorite, after all."

Nina just said, "Hmph," unimpressed by his bragging.

Picking up on this, he said, shrugging, "Well, it's true. She always favored me. I can't control how we were treated."

"I bet he loved feeling inadequate."

"Hey, if you want to be his therapist, go ahead. He'd probably burn the ends of your hair to a crisp if you even tried talking about feelings and stuff," Snow huffed, indignantly.

Nina looked over at him. He was facing the back of his chair, but she could still see the frown on his face. A realization hit her. Was he jealous?

"Do you have a problem with me socializing with him? I have that right."

He turned toward her. "No. I just don't see why you'd want to. He's not as friendly as me. He's as joyful as that one fellow in that one book. What's his name? The grumpy guy who hoards money."

"Ebenezer Scrooge."

"Yeah! That one! Think of him plus all the other sourpusses in history, real or not, and they wouldn't be half as grouchy as my brother."

"If you say so," she said. "I don't think he's all bad. No one can be all of anything."

"Well, do what you want, but I warned you."

"What I really want is to get my plane fixed. It's taking forever. I thought it'd be fixed by now, but at this rate, I won't be done until after Christmas."

"Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?"

"No, but I can't just stay here."

"Why not?"

Nina looked at him, strangely. "As nice as you all have been, I don't want to live in such a cold place. Besides, I'm a wanderer. Sure, I have a house in Southtown, but I really like traveling and being in the skies."

"I see," Snow Miser said, his brows furrowing. Then, his expression changed. "Well, in case you don't get your plane fixed before Christmas, why don't you spend that day with me?"

"Do you even celebrate Christmas? I mean, I'm sure you're pretty busy making sure some kids' wishes come true."

"Do I celebrate Christmas? Of course, I do! After all, it's the best advertisement for snowbusiness!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. What's Christmas without any snow?"

"I only remember it snowing once on Christmas day in Southtown."

"Hmph. Oh, that was years ago, and I meant in my territories. When people think of Christmas, they generally think of snow. It's free advertising for what I do. Mr. C. also gives it a boost, too."

"So you use him."

"I wouldn't say use. We're friends."

"Because he's useful to you."

"You're twisting my words, madam. He's a great guy. We help each other out."

"Mhm. He'd be your brother's friend if he lived in the South Pole."

Snow Miser frowned a bit. "I guess, but then he'd have to have a sled pulled by crabs. Can you imagine that?"

Nina laughed, which made Snow's frown disappear. "Oh, my gosh! That would be pretty weird!"

"See? It's better this way."

"You have a point. Still, you have to admit that you benefit from associating with him, which makes me wonder if you feel that way about all your friends."

"What are you insinuating?"

"What do you get out of being my friend?"

"I already told you; everyone needs someone they can share things with. Do you always question everyone's motives?"

"I wasn't trying to offend you. I was just pointing out the obvious."

"I'm not offended, just curious. Things aren't always so black and white, you know."

"That's true." Nina looked up at the ceiling, thoughtfully. "I've just gone through a lot, lately. It's hard to trust people." She yawned. "Could you please take me back to my plane? I'm falling asleep."

"You sure? We could sit around and talk some more. Besides, it's pretty dangerous out there," Snow Miser said, worried.

"We can talk tomorrow. I'll be okay. I can take care of myself, Snow God."

Snow Miser laughed. "So, you tell jokes. Well, I'll have you know that I require an offering of ice cream and hockey sticks each morning."

"In your dreams," Nina said, giggling.

Snow Miser got up, reluctantly, then teleported the two of them to Nina's plane. She shook her head, a bit disoriented. "I haven't gotten used to that. Hey, why didn't you do this before, after we found the plane?"

"I thought you wouldn't accept my offer," he replied, shrugging. "You sure you're going to be okay out here?"

She got in. "Yeah. Don't worry about me. Good night."

"Good night," he said, taking a moment to respond. Then, he disappeared.


	8. Chapter 8

Sometime during the very early morning, Nina woke up to the sound of metal clinking. She carefully looked out and saw tiny shadows moving around, just like a few mornings before. Determined to see what was going on once and for all, she kept watching, letting her eyes adjust. She saw little figures meddling with the engine. Her eyes widened when she recognized Snow Miser's minions.

Nina burst out of the cockpit, scaring the minions and making them scatter. She looked at the engine and saw that they had damaged it, slightly. Enraged, she was unable to go back to sleep and spent the next few hours making repairs.

Snow Miser showed up later that morning. Nina whirled around, still as infuriated as she had been earlier. "You have some explaining to do."

"What?"

"I caught your friends messing up my engine!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your minions were here this morning, tampering with my plane!"

Snow Miser looked nervous, which verified her suspicions. "You ordered them to do that!" she accused.

"Now, hold on a minute-"

"Do you realize how incredibly stupid that was?! I could have been put in danger! No wonder it was taking me so long to fix it! You sabotaged it!"

"I can explain," he said, frantically.

Nina put her wrench down, crossing her arms. "By all means. I'm stuck here, anyway, so I have all the time in the world!"

Snow Miser looked ashamed, and he seemed to struggle with finding the words. "I just...wanted you to stay a little longer."

"What?! Why?!"

"I like spending time with you, and I didn't want you to go so soon."

Her anger did not recede. "You are so selfish! You knew I wanted to leave, but all you thought about was yourself! I thought-" She cut herself off and turned away from him. "Never mind. Just leave me alone."

"Nina-"

"I said go!"

Snow Miser, looking hurt, disappeared almost immediately, unable to say anything else.

Nina worked on her plane almost constantly. She tried to ignore her feelings, but no matter how hard she tried, they kept resurfacing. Taking a break, she let out a frustrated scream and kicked some snow. "How could he do this?!" she yelled out to herself. "I could have crashed because of him!"

As soon as she was finished venting, Nina went back to work. She was so focused on her repairs that she almost didn't notice Santa pulling up next to her. He was dressed in his red suit and hat and had his sleigh loaded. "Hello, there," he said, cheerfully.

"Oh. Hi," she greeted him, wearily.

"Why are you doing work on Christmas Eve?" he asked.

"It's Christmas Eve?" Nina questioned. "I've lost track of time."

"Spend the night at Mrs. Claus's and my house. I have a long night ahead of me, but tomorrow, we'll be celebrating."

"That's very generous of you, but I'm nearly done. Thank you for your kindness, but I must leave as soon as possible." She continued working.

"No one should be alone on Christmas," he said in a soft voice.

Nina paused and looked at him. "Thank you, sir, but I'll be alright. Safe travels."

"And to you," he said with a small smile. With that, he rode off.

Very early Christmas morning, Nina finally finished repairing her plane. Relieved, she closed the hood and got in the cockpit. As she began to start the plane, she reached into her chest pocket and took out the ornament she had received at the Christmas party. Looking at it made a heavy weight fill her chest, though she couldn't figure out why. She couldn't stay, nor did she want to, especially after what Snow Miser had done.

Nina put the ornament back in her pocket. It was time to leave the North Pole and the memories behind her. She started the plane and took off. She wasn't able to go far before a blizzard suddenly raged, seemingly out of nowhere. She could see nothing but white all around her, and she struggled to find a place to land.

As she got closer to the ground, a sharp pain shot through Nina's side, and she jerked the controls and lost control of the aircraft. Before she could react, she crashed into a mountain, causing a pile of snow to collapse onto the plane and bury it.


	9. Chapter 9

Memories.

So many memories.

Visions of laughter and of better times. Warm fireplaces and fresh-baked cookies. Pine trees and decorations over doorways. Snow falling gently as night fell over the world. Songs about Santa Claus bringing gifts to children.

Santa Claus...

SANTA CLAUS!

"SANTA!"

Nina sat up, quickly. A rush of fear and pain traveled like lightning through her body. She cried out and collapsed on her back, unable to withstand the pain.

Mrs. Claus rushed into the room. "It's alright, you're safe," she said, trying to soothe her.

Nina was pale from fright. "Where's Santa?! Is he alright?!"

"Yes, dear. He's in his workshop."

"The blizzard..." was all Nina managed to say as she began remembering what happened.

"You were in a nasty storm." The older woman dipped a washcloth in some cool water and put it on Nina's forehead. "You still need a lot of rest."

Nina began to relax. "I remember crashing, but nothing after that." Suddenly, she became sad. "My plane crashed into a mountain."

"Yes. I'm very sorry. I know it was very important to you."

The young woman's expression turned blank. "I've lost everything," she murmured.

"Now, that's not true. You're still alive, thank heavens, so you have yourself, and you have friends who will take care of you while you're recovering."

Nina looked around the room, finally able to process everything, completely. She was laying in a bed in what she assumed was a room in Santa and Mrs. Claus's house. She was experiencing constant waves of pain, though they were beginning to ease up as she rested. The slight relief she felt helped clear her mind. "I don't want to be any trouble."

"Nonsense! You're no trouble at all! You just gave us quite a scare, that's all. You were out for 3 days."

"3 days?" Nina questioned, shocked.

Mrs. Claus nodded. "You were found on Christmas day, and it's December 28, now."

Nina's face fell. "This isn't how you two should have spent Christmas."

Mrs. Claus gently tucked in the blanket, trying to keep Nina warm. "Don't you feel guilty about what happened; we're just glad you pulled through. I'm going to tell Santa you're awake."

Nina nodded, and Mrs. Claus left the room.

Nina tried not to cry but couldn't prevent tears from falling down her cheeks. There was no way she could recover her plane and fix it. The last thing in the world that meant anything to her was gone. She broke down and sobbed, which hurt her body, more, but she couldn't hold it all in.

Suddenly, she heard Santa say, "Nina?"

Nina looked up at him and instinctively wiped her eyes. He had entered the room without her knowing. He handed her a tissue and pulled up a chair, sitting down while Nina used the tissue. "How are you feeling?" he asked in a soft voice.

She wanted to tell him that she was okay and that she could get through this with minimal help.

"Lost," was what she actually ended up replying.

Santa nodded, slowly. "You've been through quite an ordeal. It's a miracle you're still with us."

"I was scared you had gotten caught in the blizzard, too."

"I was still delivering presents when the storm hit."

This statement seemed to ease Nina's mind, and she tried to get more comfortable. "Thank you for letting me stay. I'll try to get better as quickly as I can. I'll have to find a way home; there's no way my plane survived that crash."

"Take your time, and try not to think too far ahead. Things will work out in the end. For now, get some rest. If you need anything, just call for someone."

As Santa got up, Nina asked, "How did you find me?"

The old man paused. "I didn't. Snow Miser found you and brought you here."

Nina's eyes widened. "Snow Miser?"

He nodded. "He got worried and went looking for you."

Conflicted, Nina was speechless for a few moments. Seeing the expression on her face, Santa said, "I know you two got into a little argument."

"He...he tampered with my plane. It's the reason I wasn't able to leave sooner."

"He shouldn't have done that. Still, he cares about you. Maybe you should talk to him when you're feeling better."

Nina agreed. She couldn't get out of bed, yet, and Snow Miser wouldn't be able to go in this room, so she had to wait to speak to him. Besides, she needed time to sort through her thoughts; there was so much she needed to say to him.

"Wait," Nina said before Santa could leave the room.

He stopped and turned towards her. "Yes?"

"Why are you caring for me, when I stopped believing in you for a decade?"

A tender smile warmly lit up Santa's face. "Kindness and charity don't have conditions. You're as deserving of them as anyone."

"I'm not the nicest person in the world."

"Nobody's perfect. Don't be so hard on yourself; you've been doing the best you can with what you've been given."

Nina nodded. He must have known things about her life, despite her not talking about it much. Of course, he would know; he was Santa Claus.

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind," she said, tired, and laid down to go to sleep. She heard the door close as she turned toward the nightstand, and the last thing she saw before drifting off was her snowflake ornament.


	10. Chapter 10

A couple of days later, Nina was able to get out of bed and walk around, albeit slowly. The doctor, who had come every single day to monitor her progress, was grumpy, yet impressed. "Keep this up, and it'll be like you were never in a plane crash," he told Nina in a gruff voice.

"Thank you," she said.

"Though, why anyone would be fool enough to fly a plane in a blizzard on Christmas day is a mystery to me," Dr. Bobbin grumbled, putting his instruments away.

"I had my reasons," Nina replied, coldly.

"Thank you, doctor," Mrs. Claus, who was also in the room, told the man, hurrying him out. She left the room to say goodbye to him at the front door, then came back.

Nina was using a chair to stand. "What a prick," she said with venom in her voice.

"He's just like that. At least you're getting better."

Nina nodded, deep in thought.

"What's the matter, dear?" the elderly woman asked.

"Do you think I can see Snow Miser? I'm ready to talk to him."

"Of course. I'll get Jingle and Jangle to help you downstairs."

Mrs. Claus asked the two elves to assist Nina. Once they were in the room, she left to call Snow Miser.

The two men helped Nina leave the bedroom and walk down the staircase. On the way, Jangle said, "We're all glad you pulled through. It'd be a shame if someone with a pretty voice like yours wasn't able to sing again."

"You guys really liked it?"

"Oh, yes," said Jingle. "Everyone loved your act. Will you sing at next year's Christmas party?"

Nina paused. "Maybe," she finally replied.

By then, they had gotten to the bottom of the staircase and to the room where the Christmas party had taken place. The two elves helped Nina sit down, and they left the room.

Nina sat in a chair, waiting. She didn't have to wait long before Snow Miser appeared a few feet before her. She jumped a little, startled.

Snow Miser stared at her, his expression difficult to read. He said, his voice barely above a whisper, "Nina."

"Hey." Nina looked at him straight in the eye, which seemed to make him slightly uncomfortable. "I know you found me, and I wanted to thank you for saving my life," Nina told him, her voice soft.

"Aw, it was nothing," Snow stated.

"It was everything," she insisted. "Though, I'm still mad at you for messing with my plane."

"You're totally justified; I never should've done it. I was in the wrong, there. I'm so sorry."

"You said you wanted me to stay longer. You didn't make that blizzard to keep me from leaving, did you?"

Snow looked at her, his eyes wide. "No! It was an accident! Nina, I would never, ever do anything that would hurt you! I didn't even know you were out there until I came by and saw your plane was gone."

He was clearly distressed. "What do you mean it was an accident?" Nina asked.

"Sometimes, my emotions affect my powers," he replied, ashamed.

Nina was quiet, staring at him. Finally, she spoke. "You were really upset that I wanted to leave."

"I was upset that I lost your trust. I scewed up, bigtime, and I thought I'd never see you again. I...I never meant for you to get hurt. Instead, I ended up almost killing you again." By now, his back was facing her, and he was shaking a bit.

Nina slowly stood up and walked to him, gently putting her hand on his arm. "But I'll be okay. I'm still here. I know you're sorry for what happened. I forgive you. I'm still upset, but I think I understand what your reasoning was."

Snow Miser turned towards her, icy tears rolling down his cheeks. "You...forgive me? Even after all I've done?"

"Yes. Besides, you barely did any damage to the plane; it just took awhile to fix. And you didn't mean to cause the blizzard. It was an accident."

"What can I do to make it up to you?"

"Well, I'm going to be here for awhile. My plane has been completely destroyed, and I'm not in very good shape, myself," Nina sighed. "Just be less controlling, okay? I didn't want to be your prisoner. Let me be my own person." She sat back down.

"You've got a deal. I'm sorry about your plane, but I'm really glad you survived. You're a fighter."

"I suppose." Nina stared at the floor, pensive. "Can I tell you something?'

"Anything."

"I love to travel. Don't get me wrong. It's thrilling and exciting, but...it's also an escape. It distracts me from dealing with things I don't like to think about. Now that I'm stuck in one place for a long time, it's getting harder and harder to push the thoughts away." She looked up at him. "Maybe the universe is trying to tell me to start dealing with my problems and my past. I can't really think about all that right now, though, not until I'm ready and feeling better."

"Can I help in any way?" Snow Miser asked, sympathetically.

"Be my friend again. We can slowly build what we had back up." Nina got up and held out her hand. "Does that sound good to you? We both have a chance to do better and be better. What do you say?"

His face lit up, and he eagerly shook her hand, careful not to be too rough. "Absolutely! I promise, I won't interfere in your plans again."

As Nina sat down again, Snow Miser asked, hesitantly, "I know I may be pushing my luck, but my family is throwing a New Year's Eve party. If you'll feel up to it, would you like to go with me? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"You want me to meet your family?"

"Sure, why not? Their parties are usually pretty boring, and I thought you'd liven up the joint."

"Okay. I should be feeling a bit better by then."

He smiled, happily. "You'll go? Great! I'll pick you up before 10 tomorrow night."

Nina nodded, then leaned back in her chair. "I'm so exhausted. Recovering takes so much time."

"Would you like me to get Mrs. C.?"

"No." She hesitated a bit before saying, "I don't want you to go yet. Will you stay here a little longer?"

"Of course."

They chit-chatted for awhile, then Nina began dozing off. Snow Miser gently picked her up and held her for a moment, waiting for her response. She didn't protest, so he walked to a couch and laid her down and covered her up. "Thank you, Snow God," Nina murmured.

Snow Miser smiled, tenderly. "Anytime, sugarplum."

Nina fell asleep almost immediately.


	11. Chapter 11

"Snow Miser invited me to a party tonight," Nina told Mrs. Claus as she did exercises in the guest room she was staying in to try to regain her strength.

"He did? Will you feel well enough to go?"

"Yes. I just don't have anything to wear. I don't want to make a bad impression on his family."

Mrs. Claus, who was about to pour Nina some tea, dropped the teacup she was holding. "His family is going to be there?"

"Yes," Nina replied, alarmed at her action. "Is something wrong?"

Mrs. Claus swept up the broken cup, nervously. "No. Not really, but...good heavens. I suppose that means you're going to meet HER."

"Who?"

"Do you know who Snow Miser's mother is?"

"I don't."

"Why, she's Mother Nature herself, dear."

Nina looked at her strangely. "Okay. And?"

"She's...very hard to describe. Just be on your best behavior around her, and you should be alright."

"I'm not afraid, if that's what you're thinking," Nina stated, stretching. "I'm mostly worried about what I'm going to wear. I wish I had something nice."

"Don't worry; we'll fix you up something."

"But the party is tonight."

"That's plenty of time."

Mrs. Claus began working on a dress for Nina. As she sewed, she said, "Heat Miser will probably be there, as well, and you know the Miser Brothers don't get along."

"I know. Hopefully, they can keep things civil," Nina stated.

"I doubt it. Those two can't even be in the same room without fighting. They can be violent."

"Snow Miser wouldn't let me get hurt on purpose," Nina said with a confidence that surprised even herself.

"You're rather fond of Snowy, aren't you?" Mrs. Claus asked, hemming the sleeves.

Nina pondered on this. "Yes," she replied. "I can tell he's really sorry for what he did. I can't stay mad at him forever, but I'm still not over it yet. What he did was so selfish. I can't help feeling bad for him, though. He seems like he's missing something in his life." She paused, thinking. "I suppose he and I aren't too different in that respect."

"He's quite a character. A bit careless sometimes, but he has a good heart. I'm sure he meant you no harm."

"I know. I just wish he wouldn't have done what he did. I don't understand what's so special about me that he'd be so desperate to keep me around."

"You don't give yourself enough credit; you're a wonderful person, and we're very fond of you."

Nina smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate everything you all have done for me."

"It's no trouble," Mrs. Claus said, then stood back. "There. It's all finished."

Nina looked at herself in the mirror. "Mrs. Claus, you're a miracle worker!"

Mrs. Claus laughed. "I don't know about that; even a miracle needs a hand. I wouldn't have gotten it done so soon without your help."

"It's gorgeous. I can't wait to wear it to the party!"

At 9:45 that night, Nina sat downstairs, waiting for Snow Miser. Santa walked into the room and sat by her. "You look very pretty."

"Mrs. Claus made the dress. I love it."

"Ma is a wonderful seamstress." Changing the subject, his voice became solemn. "Nina, I want you to be very careful tonight. You're going to be among the most powerful forces of nature. The Miser Brothers aren't the only ones who control the weather; their siblings do, as well. And you need to be extra careful around Mother Nature; you wouldn't want to get tangled up with her."

Nina tried to give him a reassuring smile. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm not worried. However, if being around them is as serious as you all say, I'll watch my manners, closely."

Santa nodded. "If either of the Miser Brothers give you any more trouble, just let me know."

Nina nodded. "I hope things will go well tonight. Do you think I'll make a good impression?"

"I'm sure you will," he replied, cheerfully. "You're a very likeable person. We've enjoyed having you with us, though we wish it was under better circumstances."

"I do, too, but I've decided to make the best of it. For now, I'm just focused on getting through this night."

At that moment, Snow Miser showed up. Seeing Nina, he stopped mid-greeting and stared at her, astonished.

"Hello," Nina said. "I'm ready to go."

Snow Miser walked up to her and bowed, holding out his arm. "You look stunning. I am honored that you'll be my guest."

A slight smile crossed Nina's lips. "Thank you. Well, we should leave so we won't be late. Goodbye, Santa. I'll see you later."

Santa bid the two farewell, and Snow Miser teleported Nina and himself away.


	12. Chapter 12

Snow Miser and Nina arrived outside of a small brown house on a grassy island in the sky. A large table was in the front yard, and colorful lanterns lit up the yard so everything was plainly visible. There were already people there, Heat Miser included, and a human-sized woman sat at the head of the table. When Snow Miser and Nina arrived, all eyes focused on them.

Nina was wearing a light arctic blue, knee-length dress with long sleeves and a white belt. The dress had tiny snowflakes on the pattern, and she wore high heels that matched the color of her belt. Her hair was in a neat bun, and she wore makeup that complemented her face, nicely.

"They're staring at me," Nina whispered to Snow Miser.

"Of course they are. You look fantastic," he whispered back.

"I hope they'll like me."

"They will. Just be yourself," Snow Miser assured her before walking with her to the woman at the head of the table. "Hello, Mother."

The woman stood up and hugged Snow Miser. "Snow Miser! I'm so happy you could come!"

"Mother, this is Nina Alvar," he said, stepping aside and introducing his guest.

Nina held out her hand, and Mother Nature shook it. "Nina, it's a pleasure to see you. I've heard so much about you."

"It's nice to meet you, as well," Nina smiled.

"You two make yourselves at home. The party will start once everyone is here."

Snow Miser introduced Nina to all of his siblings. "And, of course you know Hothead," he said, getting to Heat Miser, last.

Nina shook Heat Miser's hand, gently but firmly, looking him straight in the eye. "It's nice to see you again."

Heat Miser, who was surprised at her gesture and words, simply said, "Hmph."

Snow Miser sat at the table across from him, while Nina sat on Snow's right side. The others glanced at her sometimes, apparently amazed that a human was there with them. Nina chatted with them, being as cordial as she could without hinting at her nervousness.

A bit later, the rest of Mother Nature's children arrived. She stood up. "Okay, everyone is here, now. We're going to have some snacks, then do the countdown."

Everyone got a plate. Nina, slightly confused, got some food first since she was a guest, then sat down.

"Watch it, blizzard brain," Heat Miser said, shoving Snow Miser a little in the line at the buffet table.

Snow Miser frowned and was about to shove his brother back, but then, he looked over at Nina, who was waiting to eat. He stopped himself from lashing out and moved out of the way. "Lay off me tonight. I'm already in the doghouse," he told Heat Miser.

"And whose fault is that, hm? You're the one trying to keep a human for a pet."

"I am not! Don't you dare ruin this night for me!" Snow hissed before going back to the table. He sat by Nina. "You can go ahead and eat."

"I can wait. It would be impolite to start eating before everyone else."

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"So far, yes. Your family is being pretty nice to me, though they keep looking at me, strangely."

"They're just not used to seeing humans here. Don't worry, my little icicle. Everything will be okay," Snow Miser told her, reassuringly.

Soon, everyone was sitting at the table, and they began eating. Nina didn't want to ask if they all needed to eat or just did it to seem human. She thought it would be rude to ask such a question and even dangerous to do so, since every single person there except for herself controlled at least one element. She felt out-of-place and uncomfortable among these supernatural beings.

Mother Nature picked up on these emotions and began a conversation to ease the awkwardness. "So, Nina, I hear you're from Southtown in the United States."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I remember that it snowed once there. Oh, that was one Christmas that won't be forgotten anytime soon. Santa Claus almost took a holiday that year."

"It was 10 years ago. I remember it a little," Nina stated. "I saw the headlines in the paper, and that was the first time I ever saw snow in person."

"I bet it was pretty magical for you. Winter weather makes every Christmas better," Snow Miser boasted.

Heat Miser grumbled. "You were allowed to have your fun. Once. It was such a waste, too, since Santa didn't even take Christmas off, in the end."

"Hey, it was no picnic for me, either, volcano nose," Snow griped. "I had to let you have the North Pole for a day. That's the most important spot in my territory."

"Boys, stop fighting. That Christmas was very important to Santa. He needed to be reminded how cherished he is," Mother Nature told them. "And I think it was a good reminder to everyone in the world to have Christmas spirit all year round."

"Yes, Mother Dear," the Miser Brothers said, simultaneously.

"Now, Nina, I've heard you travel a lot," the matriarch mentioned.

"Yes, ma'am, or so I did," replied Nina. "My airplane was destroyed in a crash."

"That's too bad. Would you mind telling us about some of your travels?"

Nina spoke about a couple of trips she had taken in the past, happy that the others listened with interest but sad that she wouldn't be able to travel again for awhile. She began to feel more at ease the longer she was around these beings, and she hoped it was the same, vice-versa.

"I bet the places in my territory are your favorites," insisted Snow Miser.

"I enjoy every place I've gone to," said Nina, gently.

"My territory is the best," Heat Miser piped up, "especially for someone who is accustomed to warm weather."

Snow Miser frowned at him. "People exposed to too much heat should be in the cold once in a while. You know how high temperatures can affect humans."

"Well, freezing their noses off isn't good for them, either," Heat Miser argued.

Nina sighed, trying to tune them out. Mother Nature got out of her chair and walked to her. "Nina, will you come into the house with me, please?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," Nina agreed, wanting to get away from the arguing.

After the two women went into the house, Heat Miser whispered, hissing, "Why did you bring her here?!"

"Because she's a great guest and better company than you," Snow whispered back.

"She's a human!"

"So?"

"Do I have to spell everything out for you, snowcone? You're getting attached to a human! She's mortal! You're not!"

Snow Miser laughed. "I'm not attached to her. What business is it of yours, anyway?"

"You just HAD to take her to your place and be the hero, didn't you? You don't realize how complicated you've made things!"

"Oh, I get it. You're jealous. I didn't think she was your type."

"I'm not jealous. Your head must be filled with nothing but ice if you think that I am. What I'm saying is that you're making a big mistake being friends with that human."

"That human has a name. It's Nina. And it's none of your concern who I'm friends with, so just butt out."

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," Heat Miser said, crossing his arms, turning away from him. Snow Miser just rolled his eyes.

In the house, Mother Nature told Nina, "Have a seat."

Nina sat on the couch. "Ma'am, what about the party?" she asked, politely.

"Oh, they can entertain themselves for a moment. I need to speak with you about something." She sat by Nina.

Nina was a little nervous. Mother Nature had an air of regality about her and was intimidating, but Nina was determined to stay calm and have a normal conversation with her as equals. "I'm all ears."

"Snow Miser didn't want me to tell you this, but I think you have a right to know."

"Know what?"

"I know all about the crash you were in. Do you know what happened afterwards?"

"I was told Snow Miser took me to Santa and Mrs. Claus's house."

"Yes, but there's more to it."

"What do you mean?"

"Nina," Mother Nature said, slowly, "I want you to prepare yourself for what I'm about to tell you. Snow Miser brought you to me, first...You were nearly dead."

"What?" Nina asked, confused.

"He found you in that plane, buried under an avalanche. He managed to get you out of there, but you were in very bad shape. He brought you to me and begged me to save your life. You...you wouldn't have made it through."

Nina sat on the couch, stunned. "I'm a zombie?"

"No. You just needed more help than a human would normally receive to survive an accident like that."

Nina thought about all this for awhile. Finally, she asked, "Why didn't Snow Miser want me to know?"

"I imagine he didn't want you to be put under more stress than you already were at the time. You've already been through so much, from what he's told me. However, I thought you needed to know the whole story."

"I appreciate you telling me this," Nina said, still trying to process it.

"Are you alright? It must be a lot for you to take in."

The younger woman nodded, beginning to relax. "I'm just shocked, but I'll be okay."

Mother Nature stated, "You are a very special woman, and you mean a lot to my son. I know he's misguided and doesn't always do the things he should, but he does have a good heart. Now, that doesn't excuse the things he's done. If he causes any more problems for you, you let me know, and don't you take it from him."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I am glad that you are still alive. It would be such a shame for such a young woman like you to have her life cut so short. You are destined for a great purpose."

"I am?" Nina questioned, taken aback by her statement.

"Yes. I can feel it." Mother Nature then stood up. "We should join the others. It's nearly midnight."

"Wait. I have one more question, ma'am, if you don't mind," Nina said, quickly.

"Go ahead. Ask away."

"Why do Snow Miser and Heat Miser fight so much?"

"Oh, they've never gotten along, ever since they were children. It's because they're so different from each other."

"Really? They seem quite the same."

"I suppose they are, aren't they?" the matriarch chuckled. "They don't really see that, though, and they think that they are better than the other. I do wish they'd stop fighting, but I believe the only way that would happen is if they find something in common to care about, something that would unite them, but I doubt that would ever happen." She sighed. "All the same, I still love them. I love all my children equally."

Nina nodded, then they went outside, where everyone was watching a clock that had been brought out to the front yard. Noisemakers were laid on the table, waiting to be used at the right moment.

Nina sat by Snow Miser again, trying to hide her emotions created by the conversation she had just had with Mother Nature. "This has been one hell of a year," she said.

"Yeah, it has. A lot has happened this past week, especially, hasn't it?"

"Yep. I hope next year is better," she said.

"It will be," Snow Miser said, cheerfully.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Happy New Year!" Everyone joined the countdown, then used the noisemakers after they shouted, filling the air with high-pitched squeals and buzzes.

Nina joined in with them, thankful that she wasn't alone on such an important night. She said to herself, half-hopeful and half-cynical, "Here's to a new beginning."


	13. Chapter 13

After the party was over, Snow Miser took Nina back to Santa's house. As they said good night, Nina asked him, "Can I hug you?"

Snow Miser seemed surprised. "Sure thing. I love hugs. You don't have to ask."

Nina wrapped her arms around him as he bent down to hug her. "Thank you so much."

"Anytime. I'm glad you came. Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yes. It was a great party." She hesitated before saying, gently, "Snow Miser, we need to talk."

"Okay. About what?"

"I know what you did."

"Oh, no. What did I do now?" he asked, half-joking.

"I know you brought me to your mother after I crashed my plane."

Snow Miser's smile immediately turned into a frown. Frustrated, he nearly shouted, "I told her not to tell you!" He faced away from her in dismay.

Nina walked to him and put her hand on his arm, reassuringly. "No, it's okay. I'm glad she did."

Snow looked at her, surprised. "You are?"

Nina nodded. "I had no idea the extent of what you did for me that day. You saved my life. You're a hero."

He brushed it off. "Anyone would have done the same."

Nina's expression grew sad. "But you're the one who did it, and you're the one who has to live with the memory of it. I'm so sorry you saw me like in that state. It must have been traumatic for you."

Snow Miser paused. "It was no day at the ice skating rink, that's for sure," he said with a slight chuckle.

Nina wasn't fooled by his mask of nonchalance. "Snow Miser, you don't have to hide it from me. You carried that secret around with you for awhile, and I imagine it was really difficult. Please, talk to me about it."

He sat down. "Okay. You want me to talk about it? I'll talk about it. I was scared out of my mind. I saw you, sitting in there, dying, and I did the only thing I could think of. I went to my mother because if anyone could have saved you, it was her. I couldn't just let you-" He cut himself off, turning away. "I didn't want you to know how bad off you actually had been," he sniffled. "I thought it would just make you feel worse if you knew how close to death you actually were."

"I am so grateful for what you did. You're a true friend."

He beamed at the last sentence, wiping his eyes. "I'm glad you think so."

"How can I repay you?"

Snow waved his hand. "No need. Just seeing you alive is enough for me."

"What about your mother? I'm grateful to her, as well. I don't think I thanked her."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure she feels the same way I do. She likes you, you know."

"She does? How can you tell?"

"Well, for one thing, she didn't strike you with lightning."

Nina couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. She pokerfaced before stating, "That is a good sign. I tried to leave a good impression on everyone, especially her."

"You were great. I don't know why you're so concerned with impressing them. Just being yourself was enough."

"I don't know." She sat by him, starting to feel unsteady on her feet. "I feel like if I'm not at my absolute best in front of people, they won't like me. I've always been that way."

"There's no need for it; you're likable just the way you are. You don't have to go out of your way to win people's approval. I mean, if they like you, great. If not, who needs them?"

Nina smiled at him. "I guess you're right. It was just intimidating since you all are pretty much gods. I'm just some human who can't even control my own life, much less the weather."

Snow Miser leaned back, casually. "Ah, it's not all it's cracked up to be. And you shouldn't put yourself down like that. Being a human isn't a fault."

"Maybe not, but I feel so puny compared to you."

"Well, I am 2 1/2 feet taller than you," he chuckled. His joke made her laugh, which made him laugh.

Now that they were both cheered up, he asked, "So, how long are you going to stay here?"

"Until I get almost completely better," Nina replied, "and until I find a way home. I don't know what I'm going to do without my plane."

Snow Miser's face suddenly lit up as if he got a brilliant idea. He asked, "Do you mind if I visit you every day while you heal?"

"Of course, I don't mind. Despite everything that's happened, your presence is...a comfort to me."

Touched, he asked, "You really mean that?"

"Yes. I feel better about life and everything in general when you're around. You make me feel like everything is going to be okay in the end."

"That's the best compliment I've ever received. Thank you. Welp, I've got some things to do. I'll see you later?"

Nina nodded, smiling at him, warmly. "Yes, and I'm looking forward to it."

At 2 AM, Nina finally settled down to go to sleep. She wasn't in as much pain as usual, so her mind was able to wander instead of being focused solely on what her body needed. She began thinking about events from her past and the uncertainty of her future. Unable to sleep, she got up and made her way outside.

She sat on a bench, looking at the night sky. If she needed to do any thinking, the sky was the best place for her to be. For now, she would simply have to content herself with looking at it.

Come to think of it, she rarely did much deep thinking nowadays. The longer she tried to run away from things, the less she thought about them. Any time those thoughts crept into her mind, she immediately pushed them back. She had gotten quite good at keeping those thoughts away.

Is that why she was so unhappy?

Nina sighed, softly. In reality, she barely knew who she was or what she was really like. She had spent most of her adult life fleeing, so she never gave herself a chance to figure out who she was or what she was meant to do. Was Mother Nature right about her having a greater purpose? If so, all the running probably interfered with that. Nina decided, as scary as it may be, that she had to confront her past as soon as she could. It was the only way she could move forward and become the best version of herself, whoever that was.

She heard the front door open and close. Santa asked, "Nina, are you alright?"

"Yes, sir. I'm just thinking."

The old man sat beside her. "I suppose this is one of the best times of the day to do that."

"It is. The sky is so beautiful and clear out here, moreso than anywhere else I've ever been." She paused and looked at him. "May I talk to you about something?"

"Certainly."

Nina hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I'm beginning to think all this happened for a reason. Being in the plane crashes and having to stay here has given me a chance to do a lot of thinking. I don't think all of this was an accident."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"I think this was all meant to happen so I'd be forced to reevaluate my life and who I am. All I've been doing is flying and using my plane as a crutch to avoid my problems. Well, I need to start confronting them. If I don't, I won't ever find myself."

Santa nodded. "That's a very wise conclusion."

"I figure that talking to you is a good start. You know what happened when I was younger. That Christmas, I wrote to you asking you to change the situation, and I was so upset when you didn't answer. I got so mad at you that I stopped believing in you. I want to apologize for that. You had no control over the incident, like I didn't. I blamed you for not helping me, when there wasn't anything you could have done."

Santa looked sad. "There's no need to apologize. You were a hurt child, and you had to grow up too quickly."

"I know, but I shouldn't have put any of the blame on you. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course."

Nina hugged him and felt a sense of peace, one that she had never felt in her life. She wondered if it was a normal feeling. If it was, she wanted to have more of it.

"We should go back inside. It's really late and cold," Santa said.

Nina nodded and got up. Before she went to bed, she said, "Thank you, Santa."

"You're very welcome, Nina. Good night."

"Good night," she said, closing the door to the guest room. She laid down again, beginning to feel like she was starting to take steps in the right direction. Where she was headed, she did not know, but she did know that it was a journey she had to take.


	14. Chapter 14

Nina slept in pretty late on New Year's Day. When she woke up, she began thinking of ways she could get herself back to Southtown. Then, she remembered that she told Snow Miser she would see him.

Soon, they were in the big room, sitting around, talking. Nina noticed a black smudge on Snow Miser's shirt but didn't mention it.

"I tried coming by earlier, but Mrs. C. said you were asleep," Snow told Nina.

"Yeah. I went to bed really late."

He chuckled. "Not used to staying up?"

"Actually, I did a lot of thinking."

"Care to share?"

Nina looked up at him with a serious expression. "I realized that I haven't really been living my life and have actually just been traveling to escape my past. I don't really know who I am because I've been avoiding my problems. After my near-death experiences, I've decided that I need to go back home and confront the things that happened so I can move on and become a better person. Once I find a way home, I'm going to tie up some loose ends."

Snow Miser nodded, thoughtfully. His expression was pleasant, but his eyes were a little sad. "I support you. I hope you can make peace with your past because you deserve to have a great future."

"Thank you. That means a lot to me," she told him.

"Nina..." Snow began, but just left his words hanging.

"Yes?" Nina grew more concerned the longer he was silent.

"Please, be careful," he told her.

"Oh," she stated, slightly disappointed. "Of course I'll be careful. I have to figure out a way to get there, but-"

"I don't just mean on your way home," he interrupted. "I mean in general."

The usually jovial man was unusually solemn, even anxious. Nina squeezed his hand. "I promise, I will come back and see you. You don't have to worry so much about me. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can." Snow smiled, faintly. "So, how are you healing?"

"Pretty well," she replied. "I still have a bit of trouble standing up for a long time, but I'm not in as much pain as I was."

"That's great!" He seemed to cheer up immensely after hearing this. "You'll be all better in no time."

"I hope so. The doctor here is a real prick. I dread seeing him every day."

He chuckled. "I've heard he's a ray of sunshine."

"He is." Nina rolled her eyes. "But he's making sure I get better, so I guess I can put up with him a little longer."

Snow nodded. "Just a random question, but do you know how to ice skate?"

"I do."

"I was wondering, if you're up to it, we could go skating out here."

"I'd love to," Nina said.

"You sure you're well enough?"

She nodded. "I'll go get my coat."

Nina and Snow Miser went outside to the back of Santa's house. Snow made a icy pond and got on it. He held out his hand. "Come on. The ice is fine."

Nina held his hand and stood still while he put blades of ice on her shoes. She let go of his hand and slowly skated around the homemade rink. "I haven't skated for awhile, but it's coming back now." She twirled. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful," he whispered to himself. Out loud, he said, "Great. Like you do it all the time."

"It's not too much different from roller skating. I used to do that all the time in school."

"You haven't talked much about your past. I'd like to hear more about it, if it's not too painful for you."

Nina stopped, momentarily. "Parts of it are, which is why it's so important to me to go back to Southtown. I need to face it so I can heal. When I come back, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

"I understand, and I don't want you to do anything you're not ready to do."

Nina smiled. "I appreciate how considerate you've been. Everything you've been doing to make me more comfortable here means so much to me."

"It's no problem. If I was in your shoes, I'd want someone to do the same."

Nina suddenly winced and held her side. Before she could fall, Snow Miser caught her. "I'm okay," Nina insisted, out of breath.

"Here, let's take a break," Snow said, lifting her up. He carried her off the pond and made a bench for her to sit on and carefully sat her on it.

"You didn't have to do that, but thank you," she told him.

"You should tell the doctor about that."

"I have. Believe me. I've already heard Dr. Prick gripe about it. I'll be okay. Sorry I had to stop."

"Don't apologize. Your health is more important. Besides, we had some fun. In fact, it's not over yet. Watch this."

He sat by her and held out his hand. Ice shot out of the other, and soon, a tiny reindeer sculpture was formed. He handed it to Nina. "It's so cute!" she exclaimed with joy.

"I hoped you'd like it," Snow said, proudly.

The sculpture started to slightly melt in her gloved hand. She put it down. "Sorry. It is pretty, though."

"Don't apologize for being you."

"But I was melting something you made."

"I'm not upset. Besides, it's just a little doohickey. I can make more."

"You don't hate me?" She looked away.

"What are you talking about? I could never hate you; you're my best friend."

"I'm warm to the touch. Isn't that why you don't like your brother?"

"No. It's more complicated than that."

"But he's so different from you, isn't he? And in some ways, so am I. My home is in his territory."

"Nina, I could never hate you," Snow asserted. "I don't care where you're from or what you are. The stuff that's gone on between Heat Miser and me is more complicated than just us being different. You have nothing to worry about."

Nina nodded and picked up the sculpture. "I used to have little decorations like this in my room when I was a kid," she reminisced. "I had an entire shelf full of them. I had dolphins, butterflies, birds-" She cut herself off and apologized. "I'm rambling on and on," she chuckled, embarrassed.

"I don't mind listening," Snow told her, looking at her with a kind expression. "I enjoy spending time with you."

"And I enjoy being around you, too." Nina then sighed.

"Hey, cheer up. Things will work out in the end. I know they will," he said, standing up. "You want to skate again?"

"Yeah. I need to get my mind off of things for awhile," she replied, taking his hand.

The two spent the rest of the day skating and talking. When it got late, Nina said, "I should go in and rest. I had a great time with you."

"Same here. Same time tomorrow?"

Nina nodded and gave him a hug. "Sleep tight. Don't let Dr. Prick bite," Snow joked.

Nina laughed. "I won't let him. Good night, Snow God."

"Good night."

A few days later, Snow Miser told Nina when he came over, "There's something I want to show you."

"What is it?"

"It's a surprise. Close your eyes and come with me."

Nina closed her eyes and waited. She soon heard Snow's voice say, "Okay. Open them."

Nina opened her eyes, and they immediately widened when she saw what was before her. Her plane was behind Snow Miser's castle, as if it had never been in any crashes. It gleamed emerald green in the bright sun. Not a scratch was on it.

Nina covered her mouth, her eyes watering with joy. "So...what do you think?" Snow asked, softly, standing beside her.

Nina turned and hugged him, nearly knocking him over. "You fixed it! How-"

"I can't be a snow god if I don't have any magic, can I?" He hugged her back.

"I don't know what to say! Thank you so much!"

"It was nothing."

"It's everything." She went to the plane and touched it, gingerly.

"It's all ready when you are, sugarplum."

"How can I ever repay you?"

"Just come back and see me sometime," he said.

Nina walked to him and held his hands. "I promise. Thank you."

The next day, Nina was well enough to travel, and she was ready to go. Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves, and Snow Miser were there to see her off. As Nina began saying her goodbyes, Santa told her, "You can come back any time. Our home is always open to you; you have family here."

Nina hugged him and addressed both Santa and Mrs. Claus. "Thank you both for letting me stay and for everything you've done."

Snow Miser stood by the plane, watching the scene. When she went to him, he said, "Before you go, there's something I want to give you."

"What is it?"

He handed her a metal chain. "It's for your ornament. Since you carry it around so much, I thought you'd like to wear it as a necklace."

"It's beautiful," she said, getting her ornament out of her pocket.

"Look closer."

Nina examined the chain. Each link was shaped like a tiny snowflake. She looked up at him. "Don't forget me," he nearly whispered.

"I could never forget you," she said, hugging him. "Thank you." She put the ornament on the chain and wore it around her neck. "I'll be back before you know it."

Nina got in the cockpit, then waved at everyone before taking off. Everyone waved back at her, and the crowd grew smaller and smaller until they were gone. She suddenly felt a heavy weight on her chest, but she knew she was doing the right thing. She had to do what she had to do before she could come back.

Meanwhile, Snow Miser went back to his home after leaving Santa's, long after Nina left, and stood outside for awhile, thinking. Finally, he teleported away, landing in front of Heat Miser's castle. It took him a few minutes to get the nerve to knock.

One of Heat Miser's minions answered the door. "I'm here to see my brother," Snow said.

The minion went inside, then let him in a couple of minutes later.

Heat Miser was sitting on his throne. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What do YOU want? You've never come over here before."

"She's gone. She just left," Snow stated, melancholy.

Heat glared at him for a long while, then sighed. "I told you not to get attached."

"I know. I know, but she said she'll be back. I miss her already."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Make sure nothing happens to her."

"I can't promise that."

Heat saw his brother's expression and mused, "Well, I can at least hold off on some rough weather for a few days."

"Thanks. I know this is odd, but do you mind if I stay awhile? I don't want to be alone right now."

"Why don't you go spend time with some of your friends?"

"I don't know. I just thought you'd be better company right now."

"Very well. I guess you can stay for a little bit as long as you promise not to try to take over the place."

"No promises," Snow said, smirking a little.

"I mean it. One wrong move, and I'll melt you, snowman."

"Alright. Alright. I won't do anything like that. I just need a distraction." He sighed. "A long one."


	15. Chapter 15

It was a long flight to Southtown, but Nina knew exactly how to get there. It helped that there was nothing but clear skies on the way, which she was thankful for. She wondered if two certain someones had anything to do with that. She'd have to bring it up whenever she went back.

After hours of flying, Nina could see her hometown below and her house on the outskirts. She landed her airplane in her backyard. A few acquaintances greeted her when they saw her get out of the aircraft, and she gave them a quick hello and chat before unlocking her front door and going inside.

Nina's house was just the way she left it, only it was now dustier. She sneezed and made a mental note to clean it up sometime. For now, she had things to do. She set her bag down on the floor, then headed out again and locked the door.

She walked into town and stopped at a flowershop. The shop owner, who had known Nina since she was a little girl, stated, "Nina Alvar! Nice to see you back in Southtown! How was your latest adventure?"

Nina handed him some money for a bouquet and paused before replying, "Life-changing."

The shop owner nodded and handed her some change, then the flowers. "The best ones are," he stated.

Nina took the flowers and left, then walked down the road in the opposite direction of her house. She did this for three miles until she arrived at a cemetery. She opened the gate and went through.

The cemetery in Southtown was small and out of the way, but well-kept. Flowers bloomed all around and made the gloomy spot slightly more cheerful. Various trinkets were laid in front of graves, reminding the living of lost loved ones and hopefully sending a message to the dead that they were not forgotten.

Although it had been years since Nina had stepped foot in that graveyard, she knew exactly where she was going. She stopped at a particular grave near the middle of the cemetary and sat on her knees. The stone in front of her had the name John Alvar engraved on it.

At first, Nina could not bear to look at the headstone. She placed the bouquet on the grave itself, eyes cast down. With a trembling voice, she spoke. "Hi, Dad. I know it's been a long time since I've been here. I just got back from...you'll never guess...the North Pole. You wouldn't believe everything that's happened. I wish I could tell you. I wish you were here. I wish I could tell you about all the wonderful things I've seen and all the great people I've met."

"I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm sorry I haven't come by more often. After you died, I felt like a big piece of me was stolen. I would have done anything to bring you back. I even asked Santa Claus for help, but he never answered me. I was so angry at him...at the world...at everything. As soon as I was old enough, I left Southtown and traveled the world. You know I always wanted to be a pilot. Well, I became one, but I've been using my skills for the wrong reasons. I've been running away from the past and from my pain. Dad...I've decided not to do that anymore. I came back to get closure, and I needed to start with you. Even if you can't hear me, I needed to come here and tell you that I miss you and that I want to become the person you always said I would be." She lifted her head and looked at the stone. "I love you, Daddy, and I hope I can make you proud."

Nina let herself weep and grieve, something that she had not allowed herself to do since her father passed away. A great burden was lifted off her shoulders. She was starting to be liberated of the chains that had held her back for so long. However, this was only the beginning.

After Nina left the cemetary, she took her time going back into town. She needed to regain her composure, and she also needed to take the time to remember what house her mother lived in.

A few years after Nina's father died, Nina's mother remarried. Nina didn't know if they still resided in the same home that they had, but Nina would try to find out. She hadn't seen her mother or stepfather in months, ever since before her ex-boyfriend and her broke up. This wouldn't be easy.

Nina arrived at a brick house in the middle of town and knocked. A woman who looked similar to Nina opened the door. "Nina?!" she gasped, shocked.

"Hi, Mom," Nina said, holding her breath. She didn't know what to expect. Although they lived in the same town, Nina was rarely ever home, and even when she was, she didn't see her mother often.

"Come in. Please," Marilyn told her, opening the door wide enough for Nina to go inside. Nina did so, quietly.

Her mother led her to the living room. "Have a seat."

The two sat on the couch. "It's so good to see you. It's been a long time," Nina's mother said.

"I know. I've been traveling a lot. That's why I'm here. I need to make things right."

"What do you mean? Oh, do you want some tea? I'm so surprised to see you that I forgot to offer you some."

Nina shook her head. "No, thank you. All I really want is to talk."

"Go ahead."

"I know I haven't spoken to you in a long time, and I'm sorry. That's completely my fault. Ever since Dad died, I've been struggling to deal with life in general."

"I understand, sweetie. His death was difficult for both of us."

"Then, when you married Richard, I...I felt like you were betraying Dad," Nina said, hesitantly. It was a thought she had never openly expressed, but in order to move on from the pain, she knew she had to start being more honest. "I know that you weren't, but it felt like that for the longest time. You moved on, and I shouldn't have held that against you just because I haven't yet."

Nina's mother looked sympathetic. "Nina, I loved your father very much. I always will. I'm not angry with you for how you felt. You're my daughter, and I know you've had a difficult time dealing with things."

"Still, I should have been nicer to you both. I'm deeply sorry," Nina told her.

"I forgive you. I'm sure Richard does, as well. He'll be home later. Why don't you have dinner with us?"

Nina agreed and stayed for a few hours. She helped her mother cook dinner. When her stepfather came home, the food was ready.

"Richard, Nina has come for a visit," Marilyn told her husband when he went inside.

Richard shook Nina's hand. "It's nice to see you, Nina. Your mother and I have missed you."

Stunned, Nina asked, "Really?"

"Of course. We haven't seen you since you started seeing that one boy."

"Ben Howards," Nina stated, glumly.

"Oh, yes, him. I'm sorry things didn't work out between you two."

Nina brushed it off. "Can we talk over dinner?"

Marilyn brought up to her husband, "Yes, dear. We prepared something special for the occasion."

The three sat down at the dining room table and served the food. Nina began the conversation. "I wanted to tell you both that I'm sorry I was so horrible to you when I was younger. I held in a lot of anger and grief, and I shouldn't have tainted your happiness."

"Nina, you were a child. We didn't blame you for being that way," said Richard.

"But I should have been happy that you found each other. You are a good man who took care of us, and I should have been more supportive. Thank you for everything you did for us, especially for Mom."

"You're welcome," he replied.

"We're glad you came and are starting to feel better, Nina," Marilyn told her daughter.

"So am I. I needed to do this, not only for myself, but for you two, as well. Getting closure will help us all, I think."

"It does. What will you do, now?"

Nina thought for a moment. "I was thinking about seeing Ben, but I don't know if that's a good idea. Our relationship ended really badly, and it's been bothering me ever since then."

Marilyn looked hesitant. "Honey, it may not be wise to see him."

"I know, but I need closure. I can take care of myself. Don't worry."

"Would you like to stay here tonight? There's so much we need to catch up on," Marilyn offered.

"I'd like that. My house is too dusty for me to sleep in," Nina laughed.

Richard said, "We'll get the guest room set up, then we'll sit by the fire and talk."

Nina helped her mother with the dishes, then sat down by the fireplace with her and her stepfather. They talked until the late hours of the night, reminiscing and catching up on what was going on in their lives. Nina didn't mention anything about her trip to the North Pole, as she thought they wouldn't believe her. She would tell them someday, but for now, she just wanted to be in their presence. Another weight was lifted off of her, and another chain was broken. Nina felt that she was almost completely at peace. Almost.


	16. Chapter 16

Nina woke up the next morning, feeling strange. She looked around, somewhat expecting to be in the guest room in Santa and Mrs. Claus's house. Then, she remembered that she was at her mother and stepfather's home. Perhaps that's why everything seemed peculiar. Even though the room she had slept in the night before used to be her own room, she was still out-of-place. It had been so long since she slept in that house that she didn't have much of a connection to it.

There were a lot of things in Southtown that she no longer felt a connection to. Change was a part of life, she knew, but everything was changing so fast. Stores opened and closed, new homes had been built, people she knew were aging, and people she didn't know had moved into the town. Nina felt like the only thing that hadn't changed was herself. Maybe she actually had but didn't notice it since everything else around her had changed, as well.

As she got ready, Nina thought about how much she'd miss seeing Snow Miser. His visits always cheered her up, and she could have used some of his encouragement right about that time. The day before had been difficult enough to go through. Today was going to be just as rough, and she could have benefited from Snow's humor and kindness. However, she kept in mind that she had to make this journey alone and that this was all for the best.

Nina picked up her snowflake necklace off the nightstand and put it on. The object gave her comfort and reminded her of her new friends. She also missed Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves, and the ornament made her think of some of the best moments in her adult life. They had all, without knowing much about her, allowed her to celebrate with them, and for those moments, she had almost felt like she belonged somewhere. Feeling slightly more confident than before, she looked at herself in the mirror, finally ready to face the day.

Nina went downstairs, where she saw her mother cooking breakfast and her stepfather reading the newspaper. They greeted her, cheerfully, and Nina said good morning to them.

"Breakfast is almost ready," Marilyn told her, and she turned off the stove. The three of them soon ate and chatted.

Sometime during the conversation, Richard brought up, "Nina, if you're looking for a job, Southtown could use a good delivery pilot."

"Oh?" Nina asked after taking a bite.

"Yes. I know some businesses that would hire someone to take some goods out-of-state. That's something you could do, if you're interested."

"It's a good idea," Marilyn stated. "You could live in town, yet still travel and make a career out of it."

Nina sat in silence for a few moments. "I'll have to think about it. I'm planning on visiting some friends after I leave Southtown, but I will consider it."

When she was done eating, Nina said goodbye to her mother and stepfather and told them she would return later that day.

Nina left the house and took her time, mentally preparing herself. She walked a few streets away, stopping at a rather fancy home. She knocked on the front door, consciously trying to hide her anxiety.

A young man opened the door, and he looked displeased when he saw her. "Nina? What are you doing here?"

"Ben, I'd like to talk."

"Nina, there's nothing to talk about. Our relationship is over."

"I know, but..." She tried to choose her words, carefully. "I'm still struggling with it, and I need closure. You didn't give me much of an answer as to why you wanted it to end."

Ben rolled his eyes. "You can't take no for an answer, can you?"

"I don't want you back. I just want to know why you threw me away."

He sighed, leaning against the doorway. "You want to know why I ended it? Fine, since you won't stop bugging me. You're not wife material."

"What?"

"You're too free-spirited. You cared more about your plane than anything else. You wouldn't stay in one spot, not even for me."

"I did stay here after we began dating," Nina mentioned.

"But you always talked about leaving and going on trips."

"I've been working through my issues associated with going away so much."

"Good for you. No one wants a woman who's too independent, though, nor one that doesn't want to have children." His voice was filled with spite.

Nina was hurt. "Snow Miser wouldn't treat me this way," she stated, not thinking.

Ben looked at her, confused. "What wouldn't?"

Nina paused, her eyes widening. Then, she cleared her throat and frowned. "No one you would have the honor of knowing. Goodbye, Ben."

"Goodbye." Ben slammed the door in her face.

Nina should have expected this to happen. She should have been happy that she finally got the answers, and therefore, closure she needed. However, all she felt like doing was crying. She walked back to her own home and began cleaning it as a distraction. Mostly, she just needed to be alone.

As much as she tried to push the thoughts away, they kept resurfacing. Nina reminded herself that she needed to let herself feel so she could get through it quicker. She and Ben had had some issues, but he had never expressed those thoughts exactly. "Not wife material," she murmured. Nina didn't even know if she wanted to get married. Maybe she was too independent, but was it really true that no one would ever want to be with her?

Of course, it was. Deep down, she knew he was right. Even if she was more docile, she still knew she never wanted to have children. The only person she had ever expressed that wish to was Ben, and he had nearly laughed in her face when she had told him. "How ridiculous!" he had exclaimed. "You'll want children with the right man."

Nina shuddered at the memory. He was wrong when he had said that, but he wasn't wrong that no one would want her. No one would love someone like her, not even...

Her thoughts suddenly drifted to Snow Miser. She missed him a lot, though she had only been gone for a little more than a day. She missed talking to him and all the fun things they did. She missed his laugh and his care.

Snow Miser didn't mind that she liked to travel.

Snow Miser didn't mind that she was independent.

"Snow Miser wouldn't treat me this way," Nina repeated her statement out loud from earlier.

And gradually...

Slowly...

Nina unearthed yet another feeling she had kept buried from all in the world, including herself.

She was in love with Snow Miser.

The weight of this thought made her unable to move, and she sat on the floor in the almost vacant room. She stared out at nothing, her entire being flooded with the realization that she had feelings unlike any she had had before, even for Ben.

Nina was truly and deeply in love...with someone she couldn't have. After all, what was she compared to Snow Miser? It wasn't that he was better than she was; it was simply that he was a god of some sort, and she a human. Besides, even if they were both gods or both humans, her ex-boyfriend's words were still a painful reminder that no one would want her. Nina could never tell Snow how she really felt.

She was tempted to just stay in Southtown or travel somewhere else in the world and avoid the North Pole altogether, but she had to keep her promise. Even though she had to continue to hide her feelings, she still wanted to be Snow Miser's friend, as difficult as it may be now. She couldn't lose anyone else.

Nina spent the rest of the day cleaning her house, then went back to her mother and stepfather's home that evening. She spent the next few days spending time with them, visiting her father's grave at the cemetary, and going around town to the shops. One day, she saw Ben at a store with another woman. At first, Nina felt hurt seeing her ex-boyfriend with someone else, but then she was relieved that she herself was no longer in a relationship with him.

At the end of the week, Nina told her mother and stepfather that she was leaving to see some friends. Thankfully, they didn't ask Nina who those people were or where they were from. Nina promised them that she would return soon, and all three of them looked forward to future visits.

Exactly a week from when she arrived in Southtown, Nina left.


	17. Chapter 17

Nina was looking forward to going back to the North Pole, moreso than she originally thought she'd be. She had done everything she had set out to do, and she felt more relaxed and at peace. Somehow, she didn't feel completely at ease but was feeling well enough to leave her hometown in the mental state she was in.

As she neared her destination, Nina had a bit of trouble due to running into another blizzard. Immediately, she remembered when Snow Miser told her that sometimes, his emotions affected his powers. She hoped this wasn't the case this time. Thankfully, she managed to arrive at Snow's castle, safely.

Nina landed the plane, got out of it, and walked to the front gate. She was immediately let in. Inside, Snow Miser ran to her and hugged her, stunned. "Nina, you're back!" he joyfully exclaimed. "I've missed you so much! How are you? Tell me all about your trip."

As he began to pull away, Nina held onto him a little too long. He continued hugging her until she pulled away. They sat down, and Nina smiled at him, though it was strained. "I've missed you, too. The trip was good and much needed."

Snow immediately noticed her weary expression and plastered-on smile and asked, "Nina, what's wrong?"

It was all too much. The last week had been a roller coaster of emotions for Nina, and she was having trouble holding herself together. Tears fell down her cheeks, forming cracks in her wall. Suddenly, that wall crumbled when she broke down and cried.

Alarmed, Snow Miser quickly sat by her. "What happened?"

Nina hugged him, sobbing. "I'm sorry. It was an emotional week."

"Don't apologize," he said, rubbing her back, soothingly. "Tell me as much as you feel comfortable with."

"I'll tell you most of it," she stated. "Just let me cry, first."

"Absolutely. Take your time."

Whenever Nina began calming down, she started telling him about her journey home. "I needed to go back to Southtown to make amends with my family. First, I went to my father's grave and told him that I loved him and missed him."

"Your father passed away?"

She nodded.

"I'm so sorry." He looked sad.

"It's okay now. I've made peace with it. Afterwards, I visited my mother and stepfather and apologized for my behavior in the past. I wasn't very nice to either of them after they got married, and I feel guilty about it, but they've forgiven me. Then, I saw my ex-boyfriend." Nina paused, unsure of what to tell him.

"You did? How did it go?" he asked.

"Not well," she answered. "When we broke up, he didn't really tell me why he didn't want me anymore. Well, I finally got my answer from him."

"Which was?"

"I was too free-spirited for him," she answered, simply.

"His loss," Snow scoffed.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah. What was he looking for? A robot? Someone who does nothing but follow orders?"

"I guess so." She shrugged. "Either way, I'm better off without him. I can finally start healing now that I've tied up all the loose ends at home. Now, there's only one problem left."

"What's that?"

"I'm...lost." Nina shivered. "I spent so much time running away from my problems that I never stopped and thought about the future and what I really want to do. I love flying, but am I just going to keep doing that forever? What is my purpose, and what am I supposed to do with my life?"

"Those are some pretty heavy questions. You don't need to think about all that right now, do you? You just had a life-changing trip, so you deserve some downtime. How about you stay here for the night?"

"I'd like that," Nina replied.

"The room is just the way you left it."

"Thanks. I'm not tired, though. Can we just sit around and talk?"

"Sure thing. I'd love to hear more about your trip."

Nina told him about all the shops she went to and about seeing old classmates and acquaintances. She told him about her family and her history. "I almost forgot. I got something for you," she stated.

"Aw, you didn't have to get me anything."

"I know, but I saw it and thought of you. Wait one second." Nina went outside and got a small blue box out of her bag in her airplane. She took the box back inside and handed it to Snow. "Open it."

Snow Miser carefully opened the box. Inside was a dolphin figurine. "I love it," he told her, sincerely, holding it close to his chest. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Nina hesitated before saying, "I got something for your brother, too. Do you think I could give it to him sometime?"

Snow was bewildered. "I don't see why not."

"You're not upset?"

"No. Why would I be? Just because I don't like him doesn't mean you can't talk to him. Besides, I can't control what you do."

"Thanks." She got comfortable in the chair, beginning to feel tired.

"Do you want to lay down?"

"I guess I should. I had a long trip, and I'm exhausted," Nina replied, sitting back up. She wished him good night and went to the guest room and laid on the bed of ice. It wasn't the most comfortable bed in the world, but somehow, she was able to easily fall asleep.

The next morning, Nina got up. Snow Miser was already awake. "Good morning, sugarplum. How did you sleep?"

"Decent," she responded, stretching. "If you don't mind, I'm going to visit your brother in a bit, once I wake up more."

"Do whatever you want," he told her, calmly. "You might want to dress down a bit; he keeps his place hot as...well, you know."

Nina smirked. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Hey, Nina?"

"Yes?" His shift in tone alerted her.

"I'm really glad you came back."

"Of course I did. I promised I would."

"I know. I just didn't expect you to come back so soon. I thought you'd be away longer, even though it felt like an eternity."

Nina smiled at him, tenderly, then shook her head. "It didn't take me long to take care of things back home. Well, I better get going. No use burning daylight."

"Be careful."

"I will be." She brushed her hand against his before going outside.

Alone with her thoughts, Nina mentally chastised herself. What was she thinking? She had to keep her distance from Snow Miser. Though she had feelings for him, she couldn't let him know it. It was going to be difficult since it was so easy to be loving towards him, but she had to keep her feelings under control so neither of them would get hurt.

Nina flew her plane to Heat Miser's castle. When she landed and got out of the aircraft, she knocked on the door. One of Heat's minions greeted her, and she said, "I'd like to see Heat Miser, if he's not busy."

The minion disappeared, then came back a minute later and let her in.

The inside of the castle was the exact opposite of Snow Miser's. It was scorching, a dry heat. Nina was a bit uncomfortable at first but adjusted, quickly.

Heat Miser was sitting on his throne. "Well, well, well. It's the human. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to come by and visit."

Heat looked skeptical. "Visit, hm? You sure there isn't another reason?"

"No. I just wanted to chat."

Heat pointed to a chair, and Nina sat down. "So, did my tutti frutti brother send you?"

"Not at all. I came here by my own choice. By the way, I have something for you." She handed him a small red box.

He took it, raising an eyebrow. "It's not going to explode, is it?"

"No," she replied, giggling softly.

Heat Miser opened the box. Inside was a small grizzly bear sculpture. Nina said, "I found it in a store in Southtown, and it made me think of you."

He held it in his hand, quietly staring at it. Then, he looked up at her, locking his gaze as if trying to come to some kind of conclusion. "No one has given me a gift in a long time. I'm guessing you want something in return? A favor?" he mumbled.

"No. I just wanted to give you a present." Nina's expression softened. "You haven't been treated well during your life, have you?"

"Not really. I wasn't exactly the favorite child."

"I'm so sorry."

"I don't want your pity." He set the figurine down. "I'm not going to dish out my life's story to some human. You're all alike."

"Selfish and unkind?" she questioned.

"Yes. Why don't you just go?"

"I'd rather stay." Nina got more comfortable in the chair. "Maybe it is in our nature to be terrible, but I believe that we're more complicated than that. We perform a mixture of good and bad deeds, and our character is based on what we choose to do more of and if we strive to do better."

"There's a lot more of you bad ones than good," Heat huffed.

"Perhaps, or perhaps you haven't seen enough good people. They're out there; they're just harder to find."

"Hmph."

"Thank you for helping make sure I got to Southtown safely," Nina told him.

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"

"It's hardly a coincidence that there was no bad weather on the entire way there."

Heat frowned but said, "You're welcome. I'm surprised you made it back in one piece. I'm more surprised my brother hasn't turned you into a popsicle by now."

"What do you mean?"

"He's no saint," Heat told her. "He's frozen people just for a cheap laugh. I don't see why you're any different."

Nina paused, deep in thought. "I have faith in him," she finally stated. "He's done a lot for me, and if I keep questioning his intentions, our friendship will be very strained."

"Hmph." He crossed his arms. "You better watch your back. No good comes out of blindly trusting others."

"Why do you hate your brother so much?"

"Well, let's see..." Heat Miser sat across his throne, legs dangling over one of the arms while his head rested on the other. "He's a show-off, a suck-up, is too full of himself, never takes anything seriously, and he likes cold and snow. He never shuts up and thinks he's better than me just because a lot of people like him. Does that answer your question?"

Nina nodded. "It does. It must be really hard for you to live in his shadow."

"Ma'am, I live in no one's shadow. I just hate him with my entire being. He's my total opposite."

Nina hesitated to speak. One wrong move, and she could be fried to a crisp. "Are you so sure? You seem a lot alike."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"To be frank, you seem to be two sides of the same coin. You're both stubborn and sometimes quick-tempered and full of yourselves. Are you really that different, or is there something else that's gone on?"

Heat Miser glared at her. Nina waited, holding her breath. He asked, "What are you, a psychiatrist?"

"No, sir. I'm a pilot."

"What right do you have to analyze me?"

"None. I'm sorry."

Heat rolled his eyes. "Oh, save it. You mean well."

"How can you tell?"

"I just can. So, what do you see in my brother?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You two seem to be nearly attached at the hip. What's so great about him?"

"He's kind to me," she replied, immediately. "He makes me laugh, and he makes sure I'm taken care of whenever I'm in his presence. Sure, he's made some mistakes, but he's really been trying to be a better person. Plus, he saved my life."

"So I've heard," said Heat Miser, unimpressed.

"That doesn't mean I don't think highly of you, as well, though. I just don't know much about you except that you've provided my hometown with a lot of memorable summers."

"Oh, yes. Southtown is in my territory. I make it stay warm there year-round."

"When I first began traveling, I was pretty shocked at how different the climates were in different places. I always miss a hot summer when I'm in a place that doesn't have one."

This statement boosted Heat Miser's ego. "Well, of course. Summer is supposed to be hot. It isn't summer if it isn't at least 95 degrees Fahrenheit."

"Yeah. The best place to be during that time of year is on a beach. Maybe next time I travel, I'll visit one."

"You're leaving again?"

"Well, not right now. I want to stay here for awhile until I get some things figured out."

"Good. I don't want to listen to snowcone whine about you being gone, like last time."

"Snow Miser really did miss me?"

"He wouldn't shut up about you. Frankly, it got really annoying."

Nina was quiet for a moment. Then, she said, cheerily, "Thanks for the visit. Do you mind if I drop by again sometime?"

"I guess it's okay. Just don't make a habit of it."

"I'll try not to. Thanks again," Nina told him, then left. She thought about immediately going back to Snow Miser's, but there were some other people she wanted to see, first.


	18. Chapter 18

Nina headed to Santa and Mrs. Claus's house. After she landed, she knocked on the front door, then heard Mrs. Claus's voice a short distance away call out, "Over by the stables."

Nina followed Mrs. Claus's voice to the stables, where she was feeding the reindeer. Mrs. Claus put down the bucket she was carrying and hugged Nina. "It's good to see you, Nina! How was your trip?"

"Long," Nina answered, cheerfully but wearily.

"Well, I want to hear all about it. Santa is in his workshop, but he'll take a break and see you, too. Let me finish feeding the reindeer, then we can go get Santa and talk inside."

"May I help?" Nina asked.

"Certainly. There's another bucket hanging up, and the feed is in the container next to it."

Nina filled the bucket with food and fed some of the reindeer. One of them seemed intrigued by her and sniffed her. "Dancer seems to like you. Try feeding him out of your hand," Mrs. Claus told her.

Nina put some feed in her hand and held it out to Dancer, who ate it. Nina smiled. "They're all so beautiful," she said.

"Yes. They are graceful creatures and do a good job pulling Santa's sleigh. We'll have babies before too long, come this spring."

Nina nodded, a bit uncomfortable, and pet Dancer's head. "I made it there and back alright with hardly any problems," she said.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it," Mrs. Claus stated.

They finished feeding the reindeer and went inside the workshop, where Santa was watching the elves make toys and talking to one of the supervisors. When he saw Nina, he excused himself and greeted her, wrapping her in a hug. Nina was surprised but happily accepted the gesture. "Nina! Glad you're back! How was the trip home?"

"Santa, I told Nina to tell us all about it when we go inside the house," said Mrs. Claus. "I made us some cookies."

Santa told the elves to go on break, then he, Mrs. Claus, and Nina went inside the house.

Santa and Nina sat down while Mrs. Claus got a tray of cookies and hot chocolate. The three of them ate, then Nina told them about her trip home.

"...and now, I'm back," Nina stated before taking a bite of a sugar cookie. "For how long, I don't know."

"It sounds like you had a life-altering journey," Santa stated. "Are you feeling better?"

Nina nodded, not nearly as cheerful as she had been before. "Much. However, I don't feel completely...whole. I feel like I'm still missing something."

"What do you think it is?" Mrs. Claus asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Give it time. You're still young; you'll figure it out, eventually," Santa said.

Nina was comforted by these words, though she felt no less confused than before. "I didn't see Jingle and Jangle in the workshop," Nina mentioned, changing the subject.

"Oh, they're off running some errands," Mrs. Claus told her. "Santa and I have started up a charity to deliver care packages to needy people around the world. Jingle and Jangle are doing some shopping for us and getting the supplies we need."

"That's very noble of you," Nina told them, interested.

Santa's eyes suddenly lit up. "I just got an idea. Nina, if you'd like, you can deliver some of the packages once in awhile in your plane. We could pay you for fuel and your time."

Nina pondered on this for a moment before responding, "That's a good idea. May I think about it?"

"Of course. We're just in the beginning stages of it. It will be a small charity, to start out with, but hopefully we can expand it, later. You have time to consider it."

"Thank you." She paused. "May I ask you both something?"

"Of course," Mrs. Claus told her, refilling everyone's cups with hot chocolate.

"How long have you two been together?"

They smiled at each other. "Quite a while," Santa chuckled.

"Do you mind if I ask how you met?"

"I wanted to give children toys in a place called Sombertown," Santa told Nina. "At that time, toys were illegal there."

"I was a teacher in Sombertown," Mrs. Claus added, sitting down by Santa. "Santa gave me a china doll. I still have her. Would you like to see it?"

"I'd love to," Nina replied.

Mrs. Claus left the room and came back holding an old-looking but well-preserved doll. It had orange, curly hair, blue eyes, and a pink dress. She handed the doll to Nina, who held it, carefully. "She's very cute," Nina said in awe. She couldn't believe she was looking at a piece of the couple's history. "How did you know you were in love?" Nina asked, softly.

"Well, it didn't happen immediately; it took a little time to grow, like a flower," Santa replied.

Mrs. Claus held her husband's hand. "I fell in love with Santa because of his kindness and generosity. We knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. It hasn't always been easy, but it was worth it. "

Santa kissed his wife's hand. "Our wedding day was magical. We got married on Christmas Eve in a forest, surrounded by friends and family. It couldn't have been any better."

Nina handed the doll back to Mrs. Claus and smiled at the couple with admiration. Her heart suddenly ached with a dull pain, and she instinctively touched the chain around her neck. She wanted a love like theirs, one that lasted through time. Maybe...maybe that's why she felt incomplete. One of puzzles pieces in her life was missing, and she was denying herself what she really desired because of fear. Perhaps she could have what Santa and Mrs. Claus had, but she would never know if she didn't tell Snow Miser her feelings.

Nina sat, quietly, millions of thoughts running through her head, then, she got up. "I should be going now. I...I have something I need to do."

"Where are you staying?"

"Snow Miser's. Thank you for the hot chocolate and cookies. I'll consider the offer about making the deliveries."

As she left, they told her, "Have a safe trip. Stop by again soon."

"I will." With that, she got in her plane and took off. She waved at the couple once she was in the sky, then flew away.


	19. Chapter 19

It was dark when Nina came back to Snow Miser's castle. When she went inside, Snow was anxiously waiting for her. "Where were you? I thought Hothead had burned you up," he said, concerned.

"I'm okay; he didn't hurt me. We had a nice talk, then I went to Santa's house afterwards. I'm sorry I worried you." She hugged him, which calmed him down.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you made it back in one piece."

"I'm perfectly alright," she gently told him. Then, she paused and asked, hesitantly, "Would you like to sit outside with me?"

"Sure," he replied, pleased.

They went outside and sat on the ground in front of the castle. The dark sky was filled with shining stars. Nina gazed at them with wonder. "They're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Yes," Snow Miser responded, never taking his eyes off her.

"I've never seen them so clearly anywhere else. No other place in the world is like this." She turned her attention to Snow, who quickly looked away. Wavering, she took a moment before speaking again. "Snow Miser, there's something I want to tell you."

Apprehension clouded his face, but his voice was calm. "What is it?"

"I don't really know how to put it into words. I thought about not telling you at all, but I think it's better if I do. Snow Miser..." Nina took a deep, shaky breath, then steadied herself. "You are very special to me. When I'm around you, the world doesn't seem like such a bad place. You make me feel safe and full of life, and you inspire me to be a better person. I cherish our friendship and am grateful for your kindness. When I was in Southtown, I really missed you, even though I was only gone a week. I missed your laugh, your voice, and your presence, and I realized that I don't want to go a day without having you in my life. What I'm trying to say is...I love you."

Snow Miser's worried expression immediately melted away and was replaced by pure elation. "You do?!"

Nina nodded, looking away. "But I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

She braced herself and avoided eye contact. "So many things. One, that you'll reject me. I don't want to have children."

"Oh...Oh, honey...Is that all?"

"Well, yes. One of the reasons my ex broke up with me is because I don't want kids. I'm not normal." She said the last word in a hushed tone, filled with shame.

"Nina...sweetie...I'm an 8 foot tall guy who's partially made out of ice who controls winter weather in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm not exactly the definition of a normal human man." Snow Miser held Nina's hands in his, and she looked up at him. "You don't have to be afraid of anything. I love you, too. I don't mind that you don't want kids; it's not important to me."

Nina's shoulders relaxed. "You really mean it?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"Of course, I do. Everything is going to be okay." He reached over and wiped under her eye.

Nina sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I'm so happy you feel the same way about me that I do about you, but I still don't know what I'm going to do with my life or what I want to do with myself."

Snow lovingly stroked Nina's cheek. "We'll figure that out along the way. We're a team, now. You don't have to go through anything alone." He leaned in but stopped, waiting for Nina's reaction. Nina sat closer, resting a hand on his cheek, then kissed his lips. Snow Miser wrapped his arms around her, and the two embraced for a few moments before pulling away.

Nina was breathless. "Wow. I've never kissed anyone like that before."

"Neither have I. Want to do it again?" Snow asked, grinning.

Nina nodded, and they leaned in to kiss again, only this time, Nina accidentally hit Snow's nose. "Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands.

Snow laughed. "No harm done. Come here. Let's try this again." He pulled her close and gave Nina another sweet, romantic kiss, then held her in his arms. "This is a dream come true. I can't believe this is really happening," he spoke in astonishment.

"Hm?" Nina leaned against him, head on his chest.

"I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I have my dream girl."

"How long have you wanted to be with me?"

Snow paused. "Since the party. I never said anything because I thought you wouldn't take it well."

"You fell fast."

"I couldn't help myself. When I heard you sing, Cupid's arrow struck. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true."

"It's cute," Nina told him. "I appreciate you giving me time to figure things out first, though. I had to make peace with a lot of stuff in my life before getting into another relationship."

"I understand. Besides, you were worth the wait," Snow said, running his fingers through her hair.

"This is soothing," she mumbled. "Don't stop."

"Okay, I won't. Anything for you, my snow angel."

A few moments later, he asked, "Do you want to go back inside?"

Nina shook her head. "I never want this moment to end."

"Me, neither. Let's stay out here a little longer."

Snow Miser held Nina for awhile until they went back inside. By that time, Nina was tired, and she kissed him good night before going to bed.

In the morning, Snow Miser picked up the phone and dialed. Mother Nature's face appeared on the screen. "Hello? Oh, good morning, Snow Miser. Why are you calling so early?" she asked, curiously.

"Mother, I have some great news. Nina and I are in a relationship!"

Mother Nature frowned, worriedly. "That's wonderful, dear, but-"

"I know, I know, but Mother, she's perfect!" he exclaimed, excited. "She told me last night that she loved me, and...and...Mother, I've never been this happy."

His mother smiled, warmly, though her eyes were sad. "I know you care about her. I wish you both all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks, Mother. I better go now. I'll talk to you soon."

"Alright, son. Goodbye." They hung up.

At that moment, Nina came downstairs. Snow beamed when he saw her. "Good morning, angel. How did you sleep?"

Nina rubbed her eyes and yawned. "I slept okay."

Snow kissed her cheek. "Glad to hear it."

"I did have a little trouble, though."

"Oh?"

"I kept wondering about what's going to happen in the future."

"That's a pretty big thing to think about. I mean, no one can predict it, so why try so hard?"

"Because I need a plan, some direction. Now that I have my past sorted out, I need to move forward. I just don't know what I should do." She sat down.

Snow Miser sat on his throne. "Well, what do you WANT to do?"

"I don't know...I've been focused on myself for so long that I need to start thinking of others. I need to make a difference in the world. Santa offered me a job delivering care packages to people around the world. I think doing that would be a good start."

"I think so, too. You like to travel, and you said you want to help people. You should do it, if you want. It sounds like a good opportunity, or at least something to do until you figure out what you want to do long-term."

Nina got up and hugged him. "Thank you for being so supportive." She shivered.

"It's no problem. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a little cold. Anyway, I should talk to Santa and tell him I'll deliver some of the packages."

"Okay, my little icicle. Say hi to him for me."

Nina kissed his lips. "I will. I'll see you later."

Snow smiled. "I'll never get tired of those kisses."

After Nina left, Snow Miser went over to Heat Miser's place. When he was let in, his brother asked, "You again? What do you want now?"

Snow fidgeted. "I have a favor to ask."

"Why should I do anything for you?"

"Just hear me out. This isn't exactly easy for me. Could you warm up a spot on my place for Nina?"

Heat raised his eyebrows. "Say that again?"

"Nina's going to stay over a lot, and since she's human, being in the cold all the time isn't good for her. Can you keep a spot on my backyard warm so she can have a place she can go to be comfortable?"

Heat smiled, smugly. "Oh, this is too good."

"Yeah, yeah, gloat all you want. Will you do it or not?"

"And what is it you want in return? I'm not giving you any of my territory."

"I just want Nina to feel more at home at my place. It's the least I can do for my girlfriend."

Heat scowled. "Did you seriously ask her out?"

"More or less. More like she asked me."

"And you said yes? Have you lost your mind?!" Heat quickly stood up on his throne.

"Maybe I have. I'm a fool who's in love," Snow shrugged.

"You obviously don't realize what you're doing. She's mortal, or did you forget?"

"I haven't forgotten, and quite frankly, I don't care. I'm going to love her until the end of time, and nothing can change that."

A heavy silence fell between them. Heat Miser calmly sat back down, frowning. When he finally spoke, he told his brother, "You better make sure nothing happens to her. You got one of the only good ones."

"I'm going to do everything I can to protect her."

Heat mused, then sighed. "I'll warm up a spot. Does she know?"

"I'm going to surprise her."

"Well, you better not take all the credit for it, like you usually do. I should at least get something."

"I'm sure she'll thank you, too. She likes you for some reason." Snow rolled his eyes. "Though I can't see why."

"Well, she has good tastes, just not in partners."

Snow huffed, crossing his arms. "Just come over so I can show you where I want it, okay?"

"Whatever. I'm going to take my sweet time. I want to enjoy melting your yard."

"Just a part of it. Don't get any ideas," Snow warned before teleporting them to his place.


	20. Chapter 20

Later that morning, Nina came back to Snow Miser's. He excitedly greeted her outside in front of the castle. "I've got a surprise for you!"

"You didn't have to-"

"Close your eyes."

She did so, and Snow Miser led her to the backyard. "Okay. Open them."

Nina opened her eyes and stared. A small brown shed with a blue roof set on a patch of lone green grass amongst the icy land. Two rosebushes in full bloom were planted on each side of the door. She gasped with delight. "Snowy...this is amazing."

"Go on in." He opened the door for her, and Nina went inside.

The interior of the shed was small and had only one room, but it was cozy. The walls were painted a light blue, and the floor was made out of wood. A couple of potted plants dangled from the ceiling. There was a white couch against one of the walls and a matching coffee table in front of the couch. On the opposite wall hung a shelf that had animal figurines on it above the only window, and it was on the same wall as the door. A bookcase was on another wall and only had some empty notebooks on the top shelf, along with a box of pencils and pens. Next to the bookcase was a wooden desk and chair.

Nina came back out, overjoyed. "It's beautiful! I don't know what to say."

"I thought you'd like having a spot of your own where you can warm up when you need to. Kinda a home away from home."

"I appreciate it. Thank you so much. How did you do it?"

"Well, I had some help," Snow admitted, reluctantly.

"Your brother built it, too?"

Snow nodded, lazily pointing to the castle. "He's inside if you want to say thanks."

They went into the palace, where Heat Miser was casually sitting on Snow Miser's throne. "Get out of my chair!" Snow shouted, exasperated.

Heat hopped off. "Don't lose your head, snowcone."

"Thank you both for the shed," Nina told them, ignoring their spat. She hugged Snow Miser, then Heat Miser, whose eyes widened. His muscles tensed up but gradually relaxed, and he lightly patted her back with one hand.

When Nina pulled away, she asked, "What do you guys want in return? It must have taken you all morning to fix that up."

Snow Miser held her hand and pulled her close. "Nothing. It's a gift for you, from me...from us, I mean," he told her, glancing at Heat, who narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. WE made it for you, so enjoy it," Heat emphasized. "I need to get home; I can't stand being anywhere below 90°." He then left in a hurry.

Snow Miser kissed Nina after his brother disappeared. "So, how did it go at Mr. C.'s?"

"Well, I told him I'd make some of the deliveries for the charity. He and Mrs. Claus said I could take the first one over next week."

"That's great, honey. How long will you be gone?"

"Just a couple of days." Nina held his hands. "Don't worry; I'll try not to be gone longer than a week at a time."

Snow kissed her hands. "Take as long as you need; I won't keep you here."

"I don't want to be away from you for too long. I just got you."

He chuckled. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to worry about me."

Nina kissed his cheek. "I know. I love you."

He pulled her close and kissed her lips, deeply. "I love you, too, my snow angel."

Over the next week, Nina spent time with Snow Miser, used her shed, and planned the route to deliver the packages. For the first time in her life, she had a clear path and felt stable. She believed that she was in the right place at the right time, and she was thankful for how fortunate she was. She hoped that she could soon help other people feel at least some of the peace she herself experienced.

On the morning that Nina was to leave, the elves helped her load her airplane. She thanked them, then had a last-minute discussion with Santa about the journey. She said goodbye to him and Mrs. Claus, then approached Snow Miser and kissed him. "I'll be back soon."

"Please, be safe," he told her, caressing her cheek.

Santa and Mrs. Claus watched the two, then smiled and looked at each other.

"I will," Nina said. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

As Nina began to get into the cockpit, a rush of pain pierced through her side. She cried out and lost her balance and fell backwards.

"Nina!" Snow Miser caught her, his reflexes quick as lightning.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," she insisted through gritted teeth. She tried to stand on her own, but couldn't regain her balance because of the injury.

"Here, let's get the doctor to look at you," Santa gently told Nina.

"But...the deliveries..." Nina protested.

"Your health is more important. The deliveries can wait."

Snow Miser gently carried Nina inside and laid her down on the couch while Mrs. Claus called Dr. Bobbin.

Nina looked remorseful. "I'm so sorry," she told Santa, who sat near the couch she was laying on.

"Don't be," Santa told her. "It's not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for."

"I let you down."

"Nonsense. You did no such thing."

The doctor soon came over and examined Nina. Gruffly, he told her, "You still have that pain in your side, and it seems to be getting worse. You'll have to go to a hospital and get it looked at."

"I can't go now. I have too many things to do," Nina objected, sitting up. Doing this aggravated the pain, and though she tried to hide it, it was obvious that she was in a lot of discomfort.

Snow Miser sat down by her and helped her lie down again. He held her hand. "Nina," he said with a worried look on his face, "you're hurt and need care right now. Everything else can wait. Please. This is important. YOU'RE important."

Santa said, "I'll take you to the nearest hospital."

"I'm going with you," Snow Miser immediately told them.

"Snowy-" Nina started.

"I won't take no for an answer."

Santa nodded. "Alright. The three of us will go."

"Are you sure? Won't people bother you guys?" Nina asked.

"Don't worry about us," Snow told her, smiling.

Santa got the sleigh ready, and Snow Miser carefully carried Nina to it and sat in the back with her. He took off his scarf and wrapped it around her neck and held her close. They took off, and Nina couldn't bear to look at anyone's faces as they left the ground. She had disappointed everyone, and all the plans that she had made had to be put on hold, at least for a little while. Discouraged, she leaned against Snow Miser, trying to ignore the pain in her side.


	21. Chapter 21

Nina dozed off shortly after they left Santa's. When she woke up, she immediately knew something was different. She found that she was being held by a human man. He had platinum blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Alarmed and a little disoriented, Nina tried to get away, crying out, "Let go!"

The man held her, tightly, so she wouldn't fall out of the sleigh. "Nina! Nina, it's okay! It's me."

Nina stopped when she heard Snow Miser's voice come from the man. "Snowy? But how?"

Snow laughed. "Not bad, huh? How do I look?"

"Not...like you," she told him, uneasily, calming down.

"Good. I did a great job on my disguise." He saw her displeased expression and said, "Honey, I'm still me. This is a necessity. I can't just go around people in my true form. It'd be too distracting, what with my good looks and all."

Nina giggled. "It's definitely you," she said, putting her hand on his cheek. He smiled, closing his eyes.

Nina looked down over the side of the sleigh. "Santa, where are we?" she asked.

"We're almost there," Santa told them.

A few minutes later, they landed near a hospital. "I'll help check her in," Snow Miser told Santa.

"Alright. I'll make sure the reindeer are safe," said Santa.

As the two men were talking, Nina tried to walk to the hospital, herself, but struggled due to the pain. Snow Miser quickly caught up to her. "Hey! Hold your horses!" He put his arm under hers. "Lean on me."

Nina put some of her weight on him. "I just wanted to do it myself. I didn't want to bother you."

"You're not a bother. I want to help you. We're a team, remember?"

"Yes. Thank you," she told him, gratefully.

They went into the hospital, where Nina told the receptionist her name and what was going on. Nina was put in a wheelchair and was wheeled to an examination room, where her vitals were taken. Then, she was placed in a room, where a nurse helped her to bed. "When will I be able to see my boyfriend and our friend?"

"After the doctor examines you," the nurse replied. "She'll be in, shortly."

Later, a woman came in. "Nina Alvar?"

Nina tried to sit up, but winced. "Yes?"

"You don't have to get up. I'm Dr. Mallone. Your chart says that you have a sharp pain in your side. May I have a look?"

Nina nodded. When the doctor pressed on her side, she cried out, nearly screaming. "I'm sorry," the doctor told her, remorsefully. "Let's go ahead and get that scanned, then we'll go over the results once they come in."

After she was scanned, Nina was taken back to her room. Snow Miser (in his human form, of course) and Santa were let in. Nina opened her arms, and Snow gently hugged her.

"Have they found out anything yet?" Santa asked.

"Not yet. They just did the scan. I'm waiting on the results."

"How are you feeling, honey?" Snow asked, stroking her hair.

"I feel fine," Nina said. "It's just a little bit of pain."

Snow Miser raised an eyebrow. "Just a little bit of pain? You can barely walk."

"It's nothing to worry about, my love."

At that moment, the nurse returned to the room to give Nina something for her pain. "Good afternoon. And you are?" the nurse asked Snow Miser and Santa.

"I'm Mr. Claus," Santa replied.

"Sam is the name. Sam Meier. It's nice to meet you. Be sure to take good care of my girlfriend while she's here," Snow Miser told the nurse, cheerfully.

The nurse smiled. "That, we will, Mr. Meier. How are you feeling, Ms. Alvar?"

"I'm starting to feel much better," Nina replied after receiving the medicine.

"Good. Call for me if you need anything else," the nurse said, then left the room.

"So...Sam," Nina said to Snow, giggling. "Cute name."

"You think so?"

She nodded. "This version of you is growing on me. How does it feel to be human?"

"Well, sorta human. I don't have any of my powers, and I feel uncomfortable at this body temperature, but it's worth it to be able to be with you."

"You're so sweet. I appreciate what you're both doing for me." She turned her attention to Santa. "Thank you for taking me here. I'll get well as soon as I can. I'll make the delay up to you."

"You have nothing to feel bad about," Santa told her in a gentle tone of voice. "We all just want you to get well. Take as much time as you need."

"How did this happen?" Snow asked. "That other doctor said you had this pain before. When did it start?"

Nina paused, taking her time answering. "A while back," she finally replied. She had been hoping she could avoid this conversation, but she realized that she would have had to reveal the truth to him, eventually.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to hurt you." Nina became uneasy.

"Hurt me? Why would it hurt me?" When Nina didn't respond, Snow Miser's voice was more urgent. "Nina, tell me. Please. What's going on?"

Nina cast her eyes away, biting her lip, then looked up at him. "It started...after the first crash."

"What? When you first came to the North Pole?"

Nina nodded.

A look of horror froze on Snow Miser's face when he realized what this meant. "Oh, god...Nina, I'm so sorry." He hugged her. "This is all my fault. You wouldn't have gotten hurt if it wasn't for me. Can you ever forgive me?"

"It was an accident. I don't hold it against either one of you." She rubbed his back.

At that moment, Santa quietly slipped out of the room.

"But you're in here because of what I did."

Nina reached up and stroked his cheek. "I'll be okay. Don't worry so much about me. I've gotten through worse."

Snow Miser held her hand and kissed it, shaking. He tried putting on a smile. "I...I know you will be. You're a fighter. You're one of the strongest people I know. Don't you worry; I'm not going to leave your side."

"Thank you. I'll do everything I can to get better." She looked around the room, yawning, her eyes getting heavy. "Where's Santa?"

"No clue. He was here a minute ago. I'm sure he just went to check on the reindeer. He'll be back soon. Why don't you get some rest? I'll be here when you wake up."

Nina had a difficult time staying awake. The last thing she saw before drifting off to sleep was Snow Miser's smiling but worried face.


	22. Chapter 22

After Nina fell asleep, Snow Miser left the room. He sat down on the floor near the door, his back against the wall. He hugged himself, his face buried in his knees. Santa walked up to him, coming from the end of the hallway, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Would you like me to go get your brother?"

Snow Miser didn't look up. "Yes." His tone was solemn and melancholy.

"Will you be alright here by yourself?"

"I need some time alone to think."

"Alright. I will be back."

An hour later, Santa returned with a man who had orange hair and amber eyes. "I'll sit with Nina," Santa told them, and went into the room she was staying in.

The man with orange hair spoke with Heat Miser's voice. "How is she?" he asked.

"Tired. Nobody has told us anything."

"Well, they better hurry up, or I'll-"

"It's our fault," Snow Miser interrupted, not looking up.

"What?"

"It's our fault she's here. The pain she's having was caused by one of our fights, when we shot down her plane."

Heat Miser was quiet. He simply stood still in front of his brother while Snow Miser didn't move at all from his position.

"I don't know what's wrong with her. I don't know if she's going to make it or not. All I know is that the love of my life is suffering because of a mistake I made." Snow's voice cracked, and he hugged himself, tighter.

Heat Miser sat by his brother. "Taking all the credit, as usual," he grumbled. "It's my fault, too. Don't just blame yourself."

"I love her so much. I can't lose her. Not now. Not when I just found her. She's my everything." Snow Miser finally broke down, his body trembling.

Heat Miser darted his eyes away, fidgeting with his hands. Then, he looked over at Snow and slowly hugged him. Snow Miser hugged him back, wailing, too despondent to be shocked by the gesture. Heat told him, "She probably won't die. She made it all those other times."

"Yeah, but Mother isn't here, and I don't know if she could even help, now," Snow managed to say in between sobs.

"Have a little faith in Nina. She's strong for a human. She has to be to be in love with a snowball like you."

Snow looked at him, his face and eyes red from his tears, and managed a brief laugh. "Yeah, well, being around you is no picnic, and yet she keeps wanting to be around you."

Heat smiled, bittersweetly, though his eyes showed pain. "Even after all this, she still chooses to associate with us. There hasn't ever been anyone like her."

"And there never will be again."

A hush fell between the two, and they sat, motionless, amongst the quiet sounds of the hospital.

"We have to stop fighting," Snow Miser stated, breaking the silence.

Heat Miser nodded in agreement. "We at least owe her that. If we don't stop, someone else would come along and go through this, too. When would it end?"

"It ends right now. Whatever has happened between us, let's put it behind us. For Nina's sake, at least."

Heat Miser held out his hand. "For Nina."

The two shook hands, then stood up. Snow Miser wiped his eyes, trying to become as peaceful as he could. "I can't let her see me like this; it would just make her feel worse."

Heat patted his back. "I think you've got to take some deep breaths. I don't know anything about this human stuff. This body temperature is way too low for me, so I hardly ever change into this form."

"It's way too high for my liking, but I did what I had to. I couldn't let her be here without me."

The two went into Nina's room when Snow Miser was completely calm, and they saw that Nina was just waking up. "Snowy?" she asked, drowsily.

Snow Miser rushed to her and sat by her. "Hey, angel. How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy and dizzy," she replied. "But not in pain. The stuff they keep giving me is working."

Snow Miser kissed her forehead. "That's good, at least. Someone's here to see you."

Heat Miser came into the room more and stood by the bed. "Ah, hello," he greeted her, awkwardly.

"Heat Miser! I'm so glad to see you," Nina exclaimed, her tired face brightening.

"You are?" he asked, a bit surprised.

She nodded, looking at the three men. "It would be harder to deal with this alone. You all mean a lot to me, and I feel so much better knowing that I'm surrounded by people who care about me."

At that moment, Santa asked, "Do you want your mother and stepfather here?" he asked.

Nina paused. "No. I don't want them to see me like this. Besides, they're too far away. I'll tell them after I get out."

There was a knock at the door. Dr. Mallone came in, holding a folder. "May I speak to Nina alone?"

Santa and Heat Miser left the room. Snow looked worried. "Can't I stay?"

Nina looked to the doctor, who sat on the other side of the bed. "It is up to you," Dr. Mallone told her.

"I want him here," Nina stated.

"Alright." Dr. Mallone opened the folder and handed Nina the scans. "We did a ultrasonography, and your liver has been punctured...We can do surgery, but we aren't sure if it will be successful."

Snow Miser immediately began panicking. "You've got to do SOMETHING!"

"With how long she's had the injury, it may be difficult for her to get through it, but we'll do everything we can."

Nina sat, staring at the sonogram, silently.

"Nina?" Snow Miser was shaking, doing his best to keep his terror under control.

She looked up at him with a blank expression. "Nina, what do you want to do?" Snow asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I have no choice. I have to do it."

"I'll give you two a few moments before we prepare you for surgery, Ms. Alvar," Dr. Mallone said, then left the room.

Snow Miser held Nina's hand. "Nina...I am so sorry. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gotten into that fight with Heat Miser."

"Snow Miser, come here."

He sat closer to Nina. She rested a hand on his face. "This is partially my fault, too. I should have gotten this checked out when I first noticed the pain, but I didn't. I held off on it, and now..." She took a deep breath, and her brown eyes met his blue ones. She could see he was filled with fear and regret. "I'm going to fight this. Whatever I have to do to stay with you, I'll do it. I've beaten death before, and I'll be damned if I can't do it again. I won't give up. I love you, Snow God."

"I love you, too, Nina." Snow Miser held her, moving her hair out of her face, and kissed her lips.

Two nurses came in to take Nina to the operating room. Snow Miser let go of her and watched her leave. Nina was prepared for surgery, then put under anesthesia. The last thing she thought about before losing consciousness was Snow Miser.


	23. Chapter 23

Nina opened her eyes and found herself in the middle of a forest. Though she felt conscious, she knew something wasn't quite right.

As she began wandering around the woods, she realized she wasn't truly awake. The last thing she remembered was laying in the hospital, being prepared for her surgery. This had to be a dream; she wasn't in any pain, and she was walking around with ease in an unfamiliar setting. This place didn't look like anywhere she had been before, and she had traveled all over the world.

Suddenly, a tall man with a white moustache and a long beard appeared by Nina. He wore a cream-colored robe and a crown that had antlers and a blue gem in the middle. "Do not be afraid," he said in a deep and gentle voice.

"Where am I? I was just in the hospital," Nina asked, on her guard. "Who are you?"

"I am the Great Ak," the man replied. "I am the Master Woodsman and a leader of the Council of Immortals. We have brought you here to the Forest of Burzee, more or less."

"More or less?"

"Your consciousness is here, though your body is far away."

Thinking that this was no stranger than meeting Santa Claus and the Miser brothers, Nina relaxed a bit and held out her hand, respectfully. "It's nice to meet you, sir. I am-"

"Nina Alvar. Yes, I know a great deal about you. You are in love with an Immortal," he said.

Nina immediately thought of Snow Miser back at the hospital. "Yes. Snow Miser means the world to me. I'm so worried about him."

"Why? You are the one whose life is in peril."

"I know, but...You said you know a lot about me, so I assume you must also know about what happened."

"I do. We have been watching you, closely, and have seen your relationship develop with the one who controls winter."

"You've been watching us?" Nina asked, uneasily.

"We see all," he replied, "especially things pertaining to other Immortals."

As strange as this sounded, Nina stayed calm. She drew a sharp breath. "I can't bear to think about what will happen to him if I die now. I don't believe he will recover easily. I'm doing everything I can to fight for my life. I wish we had more time."

"What would you do with more time?" The Great Ak sat on a log and motioned for her to sit by him.

Nina sat down, beginning to feel more at ease in his presence. "I know you expect me to say that I'll do great things or that I'll save the world, but the truth is, I have no idea what I'd do. You see, I just made peace with some things from my past, and I don't really know what my future holds, if I even have one. I've been trying to find my own way, and even though there are a couple of things I'm certain of, I'm still pretty lost."

He nodded. "You have an honest heart, one that is rare to find amongst humans. I do not need to tell you of the evils and sorrows of the world."

"No, you do not, sir. I have seen and been through many things. I'm not perfect, but I do my best."

"We have deemed you worthy of being granted immortality. The Council is giving you the opportunity for you to become immortal, but only if you so choose."

Nina was slightly stunned by the proposition. Immediately, she thought of all the possibilities and how much easier living forever would make certain aspects of her life. However, one thing stuck out in her own mind. "That's a very generous offer, and as much as I'd like to accept, I'm not really worthy of such a gift. I bet there are a lot more people who have done greater things than I have and who have a clear path laid ahead of them."

The Great Ak seemed surprised by her statement. "Those who would deem themselves unworthy are usually the ones most deserving," he stated. "You are being offered a gift that very few ever receive. It matters not if you have a plan for your future, as plans can change. If you accept the gift, it is up to you how you would use it. The givers would not see it as a waste."

"Why me, specifically, though?"

He paused. "I have seen what will happen if your life ends. The world would be in great peril."

Nina looked straight ahead at the beautiful surroundings, focusing on a flower. What he said didn't surprise her, but she still needed time to process it. Then, she looked up at the Great Ak. "I'm dying, aren't I?" she asked, solemnly.

"Yes. This is why I have come to you now. What is your choice?"

Nina sighed, heavily. "I can't leave Snow Miser. I love him more than anything in the universe, and there are so many things I haven't done yet. I haven't even begun to live my life. I haven't had the chance to fulfill my wishes or help people or...or...be with my soulmate longer." With determination, she said, "I accept the gift."

"Give me your left hand."

Nina held out her hand, and he held it, chanting, "Ora e Sempre," followed by other words in Italian. Nina's body suddenly shone with a bright light, and she had to close her eyes until it died down.

When Nina opened her eyes, The Great Ak said, "It is done. You are now an Immortal."

Bewildered and in disbelief, Nina told him, nevertheless, "Thank you so much. I will do my best not to let any of you down. How can I repay you and the Council?"

"Use your time wisely, and continue to learn and grow and do your best."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Perhaps someday. Now, go, awaken, and be with your beloved."

Nina woke up. This time, she saw that she was back in the hospital. She knew that she wasn't dreaming, now, since she felt some pain. Slowly turning her head, she saw Snow Miser sitting by the bed.

Snow Miser looked worse than death. His hair was a mess, and his face had a green tint as if he had gotten sick several times. He sat, hunched forward, his shoulders slouched.

Nina's expression immediately filled with pity and concern. "Snow?" Her voice was weak, but she managed to say his name.

Snow instantly looked up at her. His tired eyes lit up. "Nina! Nina, thank goodness you're awake!" He hugged her and kissed all over her face. "I was so scared! The doctor said they almost lost you several times!" He sobbed, holding onto her for dear life.

Nina hugged him the best she could. "My love, I'll be okay. I told you I'd do everything I could to stay with you."

Snow pulled away and held her hand. "I know you did." He laughed in relief through his tears. "You put up one heck of a fight. How are you feeling?"

"Sore," she replied, trying to sit up.

"Don't move; you need your rest," he said. "Want me to get Santa and Heat Miser? They're out in the waiting room."

Nina nodded, and Snow ran out of the room, energized by her awakened state. He soon returned with his brother and Santa, who both looked tired, as well, though they immediately became relieved once they saw Nina.

"How are you holding up, Nina?" Santa asked her.

"I feel like I've been run over by a train several times, but I think I'll make it through alright."

"You gave us quite a scare."

"I'm sorry I worried you guys."

"Okay, but don't do it again. You're on thin ice," Heat Miser joked, nudging Snow in the ribs.

Nina giggled. "I'll try not to. I have a tendency to get into trouble."

"Well, we'll all be here to help you get out of it whenever you need to," said Santa.

Nina relaxed, trying to get more comfortable in bed. "I had a weird dream while I was asleep during surgery. A man who called himself the Great Ak asked me if I wanted to be immortal, and I said yes."

The three men looked at each other, their eyes widening and their faces pale. "The Great Ak, you said?" Santa asked.

"Yes. We were in a place called the Forest of Burzee, and we had a conversation about my life. He said something about a Council thinking I deserved to be immortal. It's one of the strangest and most vivid dreams I've ever had."

There was a silence, then Santa said, "Nina, if you saw the Great Ak, then you weren't dreaming."

The expressions on their faces told Nina that Santa was telling the truth. She thought this over. "That means...I really am immortal."

"Like us," Heat stated, softly.

Snow Miser held Nina's hand. "And we're going to be together for a long, long time."

Nina smiled at him, then at Santa and Heat.

"Let's let her get some rest. She's been through quite an ordeal," Santa told the Miser brothers. Snow kissed Nina before leaving the room.

Once Nina was alone, she tried to get some sleep, but she had so much on her mind. She was still trying to process everything, but if what she thought happened had actually happened, then she would have plenty of time to think about it.


	24. Chapter 24

Once Nina was released from the hospital, Santa took them all back to the North Pole. He and Mrs. Claus threw a small celebration in honor of Nina fully recovering. There was food and dancing, and though Nina wasn't feeling quite well enough to move around a lot, she still enjoyed being around everyone.

Both of the Miser Brothers were at the party, now in their true forms. They approached Nina. "Ugh! I'm glad to be myself again! Being human is a pain in the butt!" Heat complained.

Nina smiled. "It is sometimes. Thank you for going there to see me, though. I really appreciate it." She stood up and hugged him.

"Well, for you, it was worth it," Heat told her, hugging her back. When they pulled away, he joked, pointing to Snow Miser, "Watch out for this one. Of course, I don't have to tell you that." He patted his brother's back and walked away.

Snow Miser shook his head, grinning, then held Nina's hand. "Want to go outside for a minute?"

"I'd love to," Nina replied. Any moment she had alone with him was welcomed.

The two went outside, and Snow helped her sit down on a bench, then sat down beside her, putting his arm around her. "So, I heard you're going to start making deliveries for Mr. C.'s charity once you get better."

Nina nodded. "I've got to get back to business as soon as I can. I really don't like being cooped up in bed all the time."

"I'll bet. You've been through a lot, lately. It's nice to slow down once in awhile, too, though."

Nina agreed, burying her face into his chest for a few moments. Finally, she spoke again. "I want to stay here," she told him. "I want to stay at the North Pole. I've traveled the world but never felt like I fit in anywhere...until now. I love it here, and I love all of you. This is where I belong, and this is where I want my home to be."

Snow Miser hugged her with joy. "Honey, that's great! I'm glad you feel that way. In fact, I want to ask you something. Will you move in with me? If it's too soon, you don't have to, but I really enjoy having you at my place."

Nina pulled him down so his face was close to hers. "Yes, my love. I wouldn't have it any other way." She kissed his lips.

Snow ran his fingers through her hair. As he pulled away, he told her. "I love you. I'm never going to take you for granted."

"I love you, too. Maybe you can come with me on some of my flights, if you can stand being in your human form long enough, Nina laughed.

"I'd love that. It may be a little uncomfortable, but I'd never pass up an opportunity to be with you." Snow Miser then stood up. "Well, my snow angel, what do you say we go back inside so we don't miss your party?" He held out his hand.

Nina took it, letting him help her up. "I say let's do it." She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Holding hands, the two walked back into the house to rejoin the festivities.


End file.
